Share the Load
by Briasolo14
Summary: This is a story I've been working on for a while. Sam needs help getting all that information in the Men of Letters library organized so it's searchable and usable. He asks Charlie for help and she brings a friend to the Bunker to help.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Location: The Men of Letters Bunker

"Charlie will be here tomorrow," Sam said. Dean was cleaning guns at the other table. Sam had books and papers all over the one at which he was sitting.

"Yeah? Why?" Dean replied.

"Because I need help in getting all of this," Sam gestured around at all the information the Men of Letters had amassed, "organized, cataloged, more easily searchable," Sam said. "Charlie and I have been talking and she knows what we need. She's bringing a friend…"

"Whoa, who is this friend?" Dean demanded, with a freshly cleaned, assembled gun in his hand.

"Relax, Dean," Sam replied. "Charlie knows the deal."

"Okay, so, still – who's the friend? Is she hot? It is a she, isn't it?" Dean asked with a gleam in his eye.

"Stop it," Sam said. "I don't know if the friend is male or female. But whoever they are, they work on databases and getting information organized. Charlie said it was her roommate, but didn't say girl or boy."

"Charlie has a roommate?" Dean asked.

"Evidently. We'll find out tomorrow," Sam replied.

"She's late," Dean said, leaning back on the trunk of the Impala. They had placed all the cleaned guns back in the trunk.

"Not by much," Sam replied, also leaning on the trunk. "Besides it's a nice day out today. The crap has been slow lately. The lull is nice." He turned his face up to the sun. "Besides I think I hear her coming now."

Charlie's little yellow car wheezed to a stop and she came bounding out.

"What up, Bitches?"

Dean gave her a hug and then Sam.

"Hey, Charlie," Sam said. "How have you been?"

"Good," Charlie said. "Oh, this is my friend Kenny. She specializes in databases and all things informational."

"Hi, guys," Kenny said with a little wave. "Nice to meet you." Kenny was a girl-next-door-pretty, petite brunette with short spiky hair and the greenest eyes Sam and Dean had ever seen. The pretty was completely at odds with the black leather jacket and leather mini skirt paired with combat boots and fishnet tights.

"I think I've struck them speechless, Charlie," Kenny said with a wicked little grin.

"You can have that effect," Charlie said.

"Hi Kenny," Sam said, recovering first. "Nice to meet you."

"Hey Kenny," Dean said. "Sam tells me you are going to help us - well, him - get all our stuff organized. Let me just say right now, good luck with that."

Sam just shook his head. "Come on, Charlie and Kenny," Sam said. "Let's get you settled."

Several hours later, after getting familiar with the bunker and where all the information was and talking about what needed to be done, Kenny sat at a table making a list.

"I didn't blow your mind completely with the size of the job, did I?" Sam asked, sitting down at the table. "I know it's a massive undertaking."

"Mmmm…kind of," Kenny admitted, with a rueful smile. "Charlie told me it was a lot of information, but I didn't realize it was quite this extensive. But I'll manage."

"What's the list for?" Sam asked.

"Groceries," Kenny said. "I'm sending Charlie on a grocery run."

"Why? We have groceries."

"Beer and meat do not consist of groceries."

"Works for us," Sam said with a grin.

"Well, I need a salad once in a while," Kenny said, grinning back. "Besides, if I'm going to be here for the duration, the least I can do is take over the kitchen and maid duties."

"You don't have to do that," Sam protested. "We have a system."

"I expect you do, but my Mama taught me to make myself useful," Kenny said. "Plus I can only look at a computer screen for so long and then I get stir crazy. So cooking and washing clothes is an easy mindless distraction."

"If you insist," Sam said, looking relieved. "I hate washing clothes."

"Give this to Charlie, would you?" Kenny said handing Sam the list.

"Sure thing," he said and left to find Charlie.

An hour later, Kenny was still sitting at the table making lists, when Dean wandered in.

"Sam tells me you're going to take over the "kitchen and maid duties" as you put it. You really don't have to do that," Dean said.

"I can make a mean pie," Kenny stated, not looking up from her list. "Charlie told me you love pie."

"Really? What kind of pie? Does it have a flaky crust?" Dean said with a faraway look in his eye. "I haven't had pie in days."

"My Granny's secret recipe; which I can almost guarantee you haven't had before. Southern secret," Kenny said still working on yet another list.

"Where are you from?" Dean asked. "I can hear a little bit a drawl but really can't place it."

Kenny could tell he was still trying to figure out if she was a threat or not and probably if he had a chance or not. "Ha. The awkward gets here quick," Kenny said with a sad little smile. "Virginia by a roundabout way. I was hoping to give it a couple of days before getting into all of this." She looked around nervously and finally said with a sigh looking Dean in the eye, "Get Sam and I'll tell you what I know. And I only want to do this once."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Minutes later, with Sam and Dean sitting before her Kenny really didn't know where to begin. She had gone over this a million times in her head; how to tell them what she knew and what she suspected. Well, the only way to get through it was to get started.

"Okay. I know ya'll do weird pretty well," Kenny began. "And this is probably as weird as you'll hear - this month anyway."

Sam and Dean shared a look.

"Go on," Sam said.

"Whew, this is harder than I expected." Kenny got up to pace. "You are going to have to trust me on some of this. I'm not crazy and I don't mean you any harm," Kenny began.

Again, Sam and Dean shared a look. "Let's just hear it," Dean said.

"Remember a while back when the angels were after you and you both were sent into another reality that was a TV show of your life?" Kenny asked.

"How do you…" Dean began, sitting up straight in his chair.

"I know," Kenny interrupted, "because that reality is where I'm from." She sat back down.

Silence reigned for a few minutes as Sam and Dean took this in.

"As near as I can figure, when ya'll came through to my reality, I was shot through to your reality. And I'm still here, and you are back here, so I don't know how valid that theory is. And I suspect, though I don't know, that since two of you went one direction, two of us went the other. But I don't know who the other person is or where they could be."

Dean shot out of the chair and began pacing. "Son of a bitch."

Sam sat there just staring at Kenny. "Tell us what happened," Sam said gently.

Kenny gathered her thoughts. "Okay, that TV show that you popped into the middle of? It's just a TV show in my reality. What you do here doesn't exist there. I think you kind of figured that out while you were there."

"Yeah, a little bit," Dean said, still pacing, with his hand on the back of his neck.

"I was watching the show, Supernatural, that particular angel episode, when – as near as I can remember I blacked out. I woke up in a Vancouver hotel room. I've never been to Vancouver before, never had a desire to go to Vancouver, but there I was," Kenny said. "Luckily, I had my driver's license and some cash in my pocket so I had some ID on me. But I didn't know how or why or even where I was for a little while so I was reluctant to use it."

Dean had sat back down by now and was staring at her.

"How did you get back into the US?" Sam asked. "The border crossings are pretty tight now."

"Tell me something I don't know," Kenny said. "But I was a graphic designer for a few years so I have a few skills. I never thought I would put those skills to use that way."

Sam looked pretty impressed. "So you faked some ID and walked across the border? What did the guards say with you walking?"

"I didn't walk. I lost my nerve because didn't think I could pull it off. So, I channeled my inner hobo, found a train that was heading south and hitched a ride in a box car that had plenty of places to hide," Kenny said with a grin. "I surprised even myself with that one."

Sam and Dean smiled.

"Once I got back into the US, I hit the nearest library and did some research," she continued. "My driver's license is still the same and I found plenty of things about supernatural stuff but no TV show called Supernatural. I did run across the books, though."

"Oh God, not the books again…" Dean moaned. "We need to burn all of them."

"Again, Dean, they are on the internet, so good luck finding them all," Sam said. Kenny had the feeling this wasn't the first time this subject had come up.

"I know. I just hate that," Dean said.

"I don't need to read the books to know what's happened to you," Kenny said quietly. "It was all in the TV show in my reality. I'm so sorry for all that you both have been through."

Sam and Dean looked uncomfortable with that didn't really know what to say.

"Anyway, I was born and raised in Virginia, but now I was in Washington State. To say the least I didn't know my way around. Once I figured out where I was and had a working theory on what happened, I thought of Charlie," Kenny said as she took up the story again. "I'm pretty good with a computer, so I searched for her and found the LARPing website and went one weekend to meet the Queen." Kenny paused with a fond smile. "She hit on me that first meeting. That was an eye opener. I have never been hit on by a girl before. Sort of startled me there for a minute."

"I know what you mean," Dean mumbled.

Kenny smiled and continued, "She and I became friends and eventually roommates and here we are."

"So you are from Virginia in another reality," Dean summed up. "Why are you here with us and Charlie?" With a shrewd look in his eye, he said, "Charlie doesn't know all of this, does she?"

"Not all, no," Kenny said slowly. "She knows my theory about what happened and agrees it sounds plausible. It sounds a little stalker-ish doesn't it? Me looking her up on the internet and then arranging to meet her?"

Kenny got up to pace a bit more. "I swear I'm not here for any other reason than I'm a fan of the show in my reality and I want to help. And I don't really have any place else to go. I know ya'll don't have time to sit here searching through a ton of books when I can get everything digitized and searchable for you; though it will take quite some time for all this information." With a sweep of her hand she indicated the books and boxes sitting around. "Plus we need to figure out what's on the mainframes, and in the boxes, and on the tapes."

Sam sat back in his chair. "You need to tell Charlie everything. In our experience nothing good comes from keeping secrets."

Dean didn't say anything and wouldn't meet Kenny's eye.

"And we live in pretty close quarters here," Sam finished.

"I know," Kenny said softly.

They heard the bunker doors opening. "Can I get some help with the bags? Kenny had me buy enough to feed an army!" Charlie called.

"Coming!" Kenny replied and rushed from the table to help while Sam and Dean followed a little more slowly.

After dinner, Kenny, Charlie, and Sam were sitting together talking about the equipment needed to get the information organized and making yet more lists. Sam got up to get a snack and walked out of the room with a look at Kenny.

When he was gone, Kenny turned to Charlie. "Charlie, I need to talk to you and I don't really think you are going to like what I have to say," Kenny said. "After that, I think I'm going to have a good old fashioned fall apart and drink waaay too much."

Charlie looked worried and curious in turns and took Kenny's hand. "We've been roommates for almost a year. I know what the fall aparts are like. What's on your mind?"

"Huh. You heard those?" Kenny asked. "I thought I was quiet about it."

"You were," Charlie said. "But thin walls – everything carries. So spill…"

And Kenny did. Everything, finally out in the open. It felt so much better than keeping it all inside. And as Kenny had feared Charlie was pissed at being singled out and kind of taken advantage of. But she would come around in time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

After tossing and turning for a while in her room – soul-baring always had that effect on her - Kenny decided to get the full on fall apart going. Tomorrow wasn't going to be pretty but oh well…sometimes a girl had to do what a girl had to do. She went to the kitchen to see what else she could find besides beer and found a treasure trove of whiskey. Not really her style, but would get the job done quicker than beer.

Around 1 a.m. and about half way through the first bottle and about three quarters of the way through a box of tissues, Dean wandered in.

"I thought I heard someone out here," he said. "You okay?"

He sat in a chair across from Kenny a look of concern on his handsome face.

"No, not really. But I will be," Kenny replied through her tears. "I told Charlie and she's mad and just thinking about all that again gets me upset. This is the easiest way to deal right now. A shrink would think I was nuts and recommend a padded room."

"Hell of a price in the morning, though," Dean said with a smile. "But I understand about the shrink. Me and Sammy got thrown in the crazy house just by telling the truth. Of course, that was the plan." The look on this face showed he was rather proud of that plan.

"Yep, I remember that episode. But I'll work through it – just like always."

"I get the feeling you've worked through it a lot and usually on your own. Am I right?" Dean prompted gently.

"Oh, you have no idea. Granted it's nothing compared to what you've dealt with, but enough crap has come my way. Unfortunately, you get used to dealing with shit that would take a lesser person right out."

"I hear you, sister," Dean agreed while taking the bottle and pouring a glassful. "Why don't you tell me and take a load off. You probably won't remember having this conversation tomorrow anyway. Do you have anybody that's missing you in your reality? How long have you been here?"

"No, no one will miss me," Kenny said sadly, reached for the bottle and took another pull and swiped a few more tears. No sobbing and heaving for her, though, Dean noticed; just a fountain of tears running down her cheeks.

"I noticed your wedding band," Dean said. "You sure no one is missing you?"

"I know no one is missing me, because I've been a widow longer than I was ever married. I just never bothered to take the ring off. And I've been here almost three years."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I. Alex was the only one that really understood me and what it was like growing up where I did and with whom I did. Mom was great, don't get me wrong, but she and I couldn't have been more different."

When Kenny seemed to get lost in her memories, Dean took sip from his glass and prompted, "How were you different?"

"I wasn't girly enough for her and I was always a disappointment," Kenny said. Her voice broke a little on the word disappointment. "And I didn't want to climb the social ladder enough to land a wealthy husband so she could be kept in the style to which she wanted to become accustomed. It started when I was a little girl. I hated playing with dolls and I got one every year for Christmas whether I wanted one or not. They sat in the boxes and gathered dust. I was never interested in doing my hair or my appearance really. I wore what was comfortable and still had plenty of boyfriends, so I didn't think it mattered all that much. But Mom thought a girl should dress like a girl – dresses and ruffles and frills. Ugh. I hate that stuff."

"Boyfriends?" Dean interrupted. "You and Charlie aren't together? I mean that's totally okay if you are…"

"No, Dean. I'm as straight as they come. Alex was my husband, not my wife. Charlie is more the sister I never had and always wanted. I was raised in Virginia and people just don't do those sorts of things, at least in my family," Kenny said with a small smile. Her eyes were slightly unfocused. "I like men just fine; especially, handsome, well-spoken ones. Anyway, after my husband…well, I just never found one I wanted to do more with than look at. Usually when they open their mouths all sorts of turn offs come rolling out."

Dean had a different look in his eyes as he said, "I've talked to a few women like that."

Kenny again seemed to get lost in her memories. She took another pull from the bottle.

"So what did you do?" Dean asked and took another sip from his glass. "About your mom, I mean."

"I tried going with it for a while, but it was like wearing shoes that are too small. It didn't fit and I was miserable. Mom and I had a big fight one night and Uncle John took me under his wing. He had two sons that were two and four years older than me. I was getting ready to run away when he talked some sense into me. I had food-and-a-roof-over-my-head-don't-throw-it-away-kind of thing." She stared at the wall for a while.

"I'm ashamed to admit I started lying to Mom. I made up friends she would approve of and a whole life that didn't exist and spent all my time at Uncle John's garage. He kept latex exam gloves there for me so Mom wouldn't find grease under my nails and taught me everything he knew about working on cars. It was fantastic. I figured out who I was and what I wanted to do there, rolling under cars and figuring out why they didn't work."

"Wait. You're a mechanic?" Dean asked. He looked impressed.

"I was a better than average back yard mechanic," Kenny said proudly. "After I got out of the service, I am a damn good master mechanic that can fix anything that moves. That's where I met my husband, in the service. He was killed in Afghanistan. I'm sorry I'm rambling on this way. Whiskey has that effect on me."

"No problem," Dean said, taking another sip from his glass. "And I'm sorry about your husband." Kenny had slowed down considerably on the drinking. The tears had slowed as well.

"How did you get to be a computer geek, then?" Dean asked. "A mechanic is pretty far from computers, as far as I can tell."

"Ha. I was a computer geek before I learned to fix cars and, no, they are not all that different," Kenny replied. "Computers and programs have moving parts just like engines and if you know your way around, it's just like fixing anything. You have to know what does what and in what order and how to put that order back once it's messed up, that's all. I just couldn't work on cars for a while because it reminded me of Alex."

"That's all, huh? I can work on the Impala, but that's about it," Dean said. "I can cobble together some things when I need to, though." The grin he flashed said volumes about what he could cobble together.

"Oh, the Impala," Kenny said with a dreamy sigh. "I noticed her on the way in. She's beautiful."

"Thanks. It's nice to find a woman that can appreciate her." Dean smiled, truly smiled, and Kenny had to suck in a breath. He was a good looking man and when he smiled like that, kind of cocky and sincere all at once; it really did take your breath away.

Kenny sighed. "On that note, I think I'm going to weave my way to my room and sleep this off," Kenny said before she did something she should regret but probably wouldn't. "Good night." And she did weave out of the room holding onto the walls for support.

Dean sat there for a while before he moved. "Damn," he said. "Pretty, can cook, and is a mechanic. And appreciates Baby. You don't find those very often." And he wandered off to bed as well. But he paused a long time outside Kenny's closed door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The next day Kenny was in a world of hurt, but she was working. Just because she felt like a Mack truck hit her was no reason to stop working. She knew Dean would understand. He had the same sense of responsibility she did. And it was probably too well developed in both of them. The room that had been designated as the project room didn't help much, either; it echoed.

"Hey," Sam said, and Kenny winced.

"Oh, sorry. Long night?" he said with a knowing grin.

"Mmm…maybe not long enough. I woke up this morning. I wanted to sleep until 1 or 2 – tomorrow," Kenny said.

"Something we said?" Sam asked.

"No. Everything I said. Memories are a bitch, ya know?"

"Yeah, believe me, I know. I have the cure for your head, though. I'll be right back," Sam said, turning and walking out of the room.

Kenny kept working, but it wasn't going well. Her head hurt too much and her eyes wouldn't focus. Sam was back in a few minutes with a glass. What was in it looked really disgusting and thick. And green.

"Drink this. Don't smell it, don't taste it, just throw it down your throat," he said. Kenny looked at him suspiciously. "Just trust me," he said. "I learned the hard way. Just drink it; quickly."

"It's green. Ugh, looks disgusting. Well, I can't feel any worse," Kenny said and threw back the glass with one gulp. "Oh my God that is disgusting!" She gagged a little. The texture of the concoction was awful. Ugh. Gross. The taste wasn't much better.

"I know," Sam said grinning. "But you'll feel better in a little while." Still smiling, he left the room with the glass.

Kenny continued with what she was trying to work on. Gradually, she became more engrossed in the process as pieces started to fall into place. She could almost see the entire layout of what the Library, as she liked to call it, would look like. Good thing she'd spent so many hours in one. At least she knew the layout.

"How are you feeling?" Sam asked.

Kenny jumped like she'd been shocked. "Oh! You scared me," Kenny said. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Sorry. I'm pretty quiet when I want to be," Sam said grinning. To Kenny he didn't look the least bit sorry. Deliver me from brothers, she thought.

"How's the head?" he asked.

"Better, now that you mention it. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Sam left her to her work. Kenny continued working for the rest of the day, stopping only to eat, ask a few questions, and throw in some laundry when her eyes were tired of looking at the screen. She heard Sam, Dean, and Charlie going on about whatever they were working on, but tuned them out. This was one time when having the ability to hyper focus was a plus. When it was time to start supper, she put everything away and cleaned up the table. She had a solid understanding of what the job was and a plan for the organization of the information, ideas on what she would make searchable, and how the symbols and other pictures would work, and what she thought should link to what. She was satisfied.

"Now, to the kitchen," she said. She headed that way and ran smack into Dean when she rounded a corner. It was like hitting a brick wall and he caught her before she fell.

"Whoa, sorry," he said. He checked her over to see if he'd hurt her. "I was coming to get you."

"Sorry. I need to pay attention more," Kenny said. "I was planning supper in my head. What's up?"

"Grub," he said turning and heading for the kitchen.

Puzzled she followed him. Around the next corner the lovely fragrance of hamburgers hit her squarely in the face – and her stomach growled loudly.

"That smells so good," she said.

"My secret recipe," Dean said with a smirk. "Even Sammy eats them."

Kenny entered the kitchen where Sam and Charlie were already eating with looks of rapture on their faces.

"I swear, Dean, these get better every time you make them," Sam said. Charlie just nodded and kept on eating.

"I didn't think you would feel up to cooking after last night, so I pulled kitchen duty this evening," Dean said quietly before she sat down. "We can cook. You don't have to do it all by yourself."

"Thanks," Kenny said for once at a loss for words. She'd always done everything by herself, especially after Alex had died. The last three years hadn't been easy, but here she was, still standing. She'd keep on doing what she knew worked. Deciding to let that train of thought go for now, she dug in.

The burgers were heaven on earth as far as she was concerned. Cooked just right, seasoned to perfection, and they were on pretzel buns. She'd have to run four miles tomorrow just to work this off, but it was so worth it. She was so used to being on her own; maybe she could share the load just a bit. At least with the cooking duties anyway. She turned her attention to the burger, the company, and the conversation. She could relax for the evening. Her head still hurt a little, but all the junk would still be there tomorrow. For tonight she wouldn't worry about anything. She would just enjoy.

Life fell into a predictable pattern after the first few weeks for Kenny at the bunker. She got up, went for a run, sometimes with Sam, though most times not. She worked on the massive pile of information, cooked, cleaned, and slept. The knot that had seemed to be perpetually lodged between her shoulders blades no matter how many stretches and deep breaths she took gradually started to loosen. Kenny knew she was finding her place here and would be lost once the Library was up and running and she had to leave. Sam could do the maintenance when she was through.

Kenny stopped and sat back in her chair. She massaged her hands without really thinking about it. The notes, typing, and scanning were really doing a number on her. Suddenly, two enormous hands reached for hers.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Nothing really," Kenny said. "I'm making great progress, but all the writing and typing makes my hands hurt." Sam didn't let go of her hands but started to gently rub them. "What are you doing?" Kenny was surprised and a little breathless. Great! Just great! She hadn't been attracted to a man in years and here she was getting all crazy over a set of brothers. This was a bad idea all around.

"Just trying to help," Sam said, laying her hands gently back on the table. "I can help with the input, if you want me to, so your hands won't hurt." Sam looked a little uncomfortable, too.

Getting up to pace, Kenny said, "Look, Sam. I hope I'm not reading this wrong, but it's been years, so I'm a little out of practice. I don't know how to say this so I'll be blunt – are you attracted to me?"

Sam looked more uncomfortable than Kenny felt at the direct question. "Yeah, I am," Sam replied. "And what do you mean, it's been years?" The look on his face was priceless, Kenny thought.

"Just what I said, Sam, years," Kenny replied putting her hands on the table and leaning forward a little. "My husband was the hometown hero after being killed in Afghanistan. No one ever saw me as me after that, they always saw me as Alex's wife – his widow. So that meant hands off. That was okay for the first year or two." Kenny sighed. "After that it just got really old. I even tried asking a few guys out and no one would go." Kenny was walking circles around the table. Sam just let her go. He understood it was easier to move and think at times. "I had been a widow for five years before I was zapped here," Kenny said and looked at Sam. "The last three years haven't really been ideal for finding bed partners, one night stands, or whatever. I've just been trying to survive." Kenny's eyes shown with tears. "Charlie's been a big help, don't get me wrong, but she isn't my type."

"Wow," Sam said. "I, uh, I don't know what to say." He looked around the room; it seemed like anywhere but at Kenny. "But, I will say this," he continued and looked her straight in the eye. "I didn't want to be attracted to you, but I can't help it. You have a lot on your plate; I didn't want to be something else piled on you. I won't push, but just know I'm here." He smiled and got up to leave the room. "We still running tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then."

"Good. I've got to run out for a bit so I'll see you later." Sam left the room as quietly as he'd come in.

"Oh, God." Kenny buried her face in her hands. "Ugh, I hate that stuff. I was never very good at the chase. At least he's not making himself too hard to catch." She sighed. "My wedding band probably wasn't helping on the chase front. And… I'm talking to myself. Time for a change of scenery." She shut down the computer and cleaned up the table.


	5. Chapter 5

A few minutes later, she was in the kitchen with all the ingredients for her Granny's famous Brown Sugar Pies laid out in front of her. Baking always helped her sort through things. Before she got going, she went to her room and got her phone and speaker. Cooking needed a sound track. With bowl and eggs in hand she set about the pies with a small smile on her face. Just wait until the both of them tasted this. She wished she had a camera to catch their faces when they bit into it.

Ninety minutes later, Kenny placed two beautiful pies on the counter to cool. The kitchen smelled like vanilla and was extra warm from the oven. Kenny wiped her forehead and shuffled her feet a little with the music. She loved to cook or clean with good music. She turned back to the sink to wash up everything. Scrubbing dishes in time to the music made the job go quickly.

Turning to go back to work on the Library, she saw Dean was leaning against the door jamb with his arms crossed, watching her.

"Don't stop on my account," he said grinning wolfishly. "I like watching."

Kenny's faced flamed with embarrassment. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her. And, oh lord, those arms. She had to close her eyes for a second before she answered him. He'd see the effect he had on her otherwise.

"I thought I was alone." Her voice was a little husky.

"You were until about five minutes ago. It's always a pleasure to watch a woman cook." He still hadn't moved from the door.

"I baked those pies I was telling you about. They should be ready to slice in about an hour." She ran out of steam after that.

"It smells wonderful." He pushed off from the door and walked toward her. Kenny didn't know whether to run or just stand there. Fortunately, her feet remained glued to the floor. Dean stopped just in front of her. "I can't wait to taste it," he said. He didn't touch her or move. He just stood there.

Was he talking about pies still? Kenny head was starting to swirl. Breathe, girl, breathe. He was still standing just in front of her; waiting. She dragged a breath in and caught his scent over the vanilla in the kitchen – man, leather, and something else she could put her finger on. Now her head was really swirling. Forget the pies, she wanted to taste him. She reached up on tip toe and touched her lips to his.

It was like kissing a lightning bolt. Strong arms came around her and hauled her up against him in a flash. He angled his head for better access and his tongue asked for entrance into her mouth. She opened her lips just a crack and that was all it took. Good sense and self-preservation flew right out the window. Dean picked her up easily and sat her on the counter. His lips never left hers. It seemed his hands were everywhere and it felt wonderful. It had been so long. But this couldn't go on. She had to live here for a while yet.

"Dean," she said. It was just a whisper. "Dean…," she said a little louder and pushed against his shoulder. He lifted his head and looked at her with blazing green eyes.

"What?" he said. She could barely understand him and he was breathing like he had just run a mile. Then again so was she. Placing her finger over his lips, she said, "I can't do this right now."

He stepped back a little, but his hands were still on her hips. She took a breath and all she got was the scent of him – man, leather, and something she couldn't put her finger on again – what was that? Her resolve waivered a bit. "I have to think about this a bit. It's been a really long time for me and I just had this conversation with Sam this morning. Honestly, the both of you freak me out a little."

He stepped away from her altogether at that and rubbed the back of his neck. "I wouldn't hurt you," he said. "Neither would Sam."

"I know. That's not what I mean." She hopped down from the counter and pulled her skirt back down. "I mean, the both of you coming on to me." She didn't really know how to say what she was thinking. "I've never really been pursued by a man – men – whatever. I guess that's what I'm trying to say."

Dean opened his mouth to say something. Kenny put up her hand. "Please, let me finish. Alex and I just kind of fell into a routine and it was lovely and worked for us. But that relationship had nothing on that kiss just a second ago. Alex was comfortable. You, or Sam, for that matter would be anything but familiar and comfortable. And I've never been with anyone but my husband."

They stood there looking at each other. She could see him adding things up in his head. "How long has it been since Alex died?" he finally asked.

And here is the crux of it, thought Kenny. "Eight years," she said quietly.

Dean's mouth fell open and his eyes bugged out of this head. He closed his mouth and turned to pace the kitchen. The silence was a living thing in the room. Finally, he came to stand in front of her again. His eyes were still blazing; with desire, anger, Kenny couldn't tell. Dean didn't say a word. Just kissed her chastely on her lips and walked out of the room. So much for baking to calm her thoughts.

An hour later, Sam and Dean were sitting at one of the tables working on some research, when Kenny walked in with two plates, which she sat in the middle of the table. She looked a little nervous.

"These have cooled enough to cut, so I brought you each a piece," Kenny said. "Let me know if I did my Granny justice."

Dean was the first to reach for the pie, but Sam wasn't far behind.

"What kind of pie did you say this was again?" Dean asked. He cut a small piece off the slice and waited for Kenny to answer.

"It's Brown Sugar pie," Kenny said. "Don't eat it if you are diabetic." Kenny smiled at little at the old running joke with her Granny. They had always said that to each other before taking the first bite.

Dean put the pie in this mouth and chewed. Then he closed his eyes and moaned.

"Oh my God, Sammy, take a bite."

Sam was watching with an amused grin on his face.

"That good, huh?"

"Mmmmm…." was all the response he got.

Sam took a bite and moaned, "Man, that's good." The sounds of the brothers eating pie echoed around the room, but no one was talking. Now was Kenny's chance. She had their mouths occupied.

"Okay, guys, look…I've never said what I'm going to say before in my life. Hell, I've never had two guys attracted to me at the same time. I don't know if it is because I'm here and convenient for you or I'm trying to find security on my end. I just don't know." Her audience looked at her and continued eating. "I need a few days to think about this. The last three years haven't been easy for me, adjusting to this world, and just surviving. I feel at home and safe here, so I guess I'm letting my guard down a little. I don't really want to screw that up. But I, and each of you, can't ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the room. We're attracted to each other." They had finished their pie by this time. "What are we going to do about that?"

Sam looked like he was going to say something, so Kenny held up her hand. "Let me finish, please, or I won't get all this out. I, for one, don't have a clue what to do. I'm tempted to throw caution to the wind and sleep with both of you." Two set of eyes were glued to her face at that comment. Dean had a small, wicked little smile on his face. Kenny shivered a little at that. Sam was just watching her – she shivered a little at that, too. It was like watching a predator track prey. "But I won't lie to either of you. If I sleep with one, I'll tell the other what I've done. I don't want to come between you." She sucked in a breath at that mental picture. Oh so not going there. "Are we agreed?"

"Agreed," Dean said almost at once.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked. "We don't want to push you into anything." The look he shot Dean spoke volumes about agreeing so quickly. Dean just smiled.

"Whether you think you are or not, you're gentlemen," Kenny said. "Neither of you will do anything I don't want you to."

Dean's grin got wider and Kenny shivered again.

"We've got a case," Dean said. "We're leaving in the morning. You'll have a few days by yourself to think. You'll be okay here by yourself?"

"Sure. I can hold the fort down," Kenny said. She was glad she'd have a few days alone to think.


	6. Chapter 6

Three days later, Kenny was getting a snack and taking a break when the whole bunker shook. At least that's what it felt like. Then she heard Dean bellowing and went running.

"Kenny!" Dean yelled. "Can you give me a hand?"

Kenny skidded around the corner convinced one of them was bleeding or half dead. The site that greeted her couldn't have been further from the truth. Dean was almost collapsing with laughter and Sam's weight and Sam was furious. Dean helped Sam limp to a chair and collapsed in one himself still laughing.

"What happened?" Kenny demanded, looking between the two.

Kenny looked at Sam. He was gingerly stretching his left leg out careful not to touch his foot to the floor. He really didn't look too happy about the situation.

"We had to lure a spirit out of a house," Sam said. "Of course, I was the bait." He shot a nasty look at Dean. "While I was running toward Dean so he could take care of it, I stepped in a hole. I fell flat on my face and I sprained my ankle." Dean was chuckling again. Sam shot him a dark look. "You can be bait next time."

"Oh no, Grace, not me," Dean said with amusement. "Spirits like the sensitive type." He started laughing again.

"Be quiet, Dean, and help me get him in the kitchen," Kenny scolded. "I need to take a look at that ankle."

With a lot of cursing and muffled laughter, Sam hobbled into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Dean stood behind him still smiling.

"Dean, help him get his shoe and sock off, while I look and see if you have what I need." Dean quit smiling at that and Kenny walked out of the room.

When she came back, Dean was standing up and Sam looked a little green around the gills. The shoe and sock were off, but if Sam's face were any indication it had hurt like a bitch. She knelt in front of Sam to get a better look. The ankle was swollen and starting to bruise. "This might hurt a little," she said as she gently lifted the foot and felt around the ankle for broken bones. Sam let out a grunt but that was all. Kenny felt fairly certain nothing was broken but he wasn't walking on that for the next few days.

"Sorry," she said to Sam and gently rested to the foot on her knee. "This ankle is going to hurt like a bitch for the next few days and you won't be able to walk on it. You need to let it heal or it will never be right and you might break it next time."

Dean put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I didn't mean to make so much fun of you, Sammy," he said. "I know it hurts."

Kenny placed Sam's foot back on the floor and got to her feet. "Dean, go get some of your rock salt, please, and I found a large pan the other day. We're going to soak your foot and ankle to see if we can get the swelling down, then we'll ice it a bit." Sam just nodded.

Once the salt was in the pan along with warm water and Sam's foot, he let out a sigh. "I don't know if that's helping but it sure feels good," Sam said.

Dean motioned for Kenny to follow him out of the kitchen. "I'll be right back, Sam." He just nodded.

"He really isn't walking on that ankle any time soon, is he?" Dean asked.

"Not for a least a week, then walking will all he'll be able to manage, probably," Kenny said. "And not much of that."

"Damn," Dean said. "We were going to head to another case while we were out."

"Can't someone else go with you?" Kenny asked. "Do you need someone else to go with you?"

"Yes, you always need backup," Dean replied. "I'll give Garth a call and see what he's working. And tell him the whole story. He'll get a laugh out of this." Dean headed off to make calls.

Kenny headed back into the kitchen. "How are you, really?" she asked Sam. He turned to look at her and his eyes were dull with pain.

"I hit my head, too, but I didn't tell Dean. I think I've got a mild concussion," he replied. "It makes me nauseous to stand up. But that could be the ankle."

"Okay, then," Kenny said briskly. "In a few minutes I'll get Dean, we'll move you to your room and get ice on that ankle while you lie down."

Sam just groaned.

A while later with Sam finally lying down and ice on the ankle, Kenny had a minute to talk to Dean. They were once again in the kitchen. "You know he's not going anywhere for at least a week," she stated. "Any sooner than that and he'll be putting both of you in danger." Dean just looked at her. "He can't run," she said just to make sure he understood.

"I know," Dean said. "If we can't haul ass we put everyone around us in danger. I wouldn't do that to him – make him go when I know he couldn't. I might tease the hell out of him, but he's my brother. I won't do anything to hurt him."

"I know you won't," she said putting a hand on his arm. "And I know you love your brother. I just wanted to make sure for myself that you weren't planning to tease him into going back out when he shouldn't. Let me get us something to eat and then we'll get Sam something." They worked in silence and Dean took Sam a sandwich before he would eat anything.

"He's sleeping," he said when he came back. "I just put the sandwich on the night table. He can eat it when he wakes up."

Kenny sighed. "You better check on him every hour then and wake him up," she said. "He told me he hit his head when he fell."

"Shit," Dean said running his hand over his face. "No wonder he was so quiet on the ride home. I knew there was more wrong than just the ankle."

Dean took first shift on checking on Sam during the night and Kenny finally made him go to bed around 3 a.m. She camped out in a chair in Sam's room for the rest of the night with a timer in her lap and cat napped when she could. The smell of coffee brewing woke her up. The timer had gone off and she hadn't heard it. She looked at Sam to check on him and found two hazel eyes staring back at her.

"Good morning," he said.

"Morning," she mumbled. "How's the ankle?"

"Hurts to even think about moving my toes," he said. "But I'll live. What are you doing in here?"

She got up to stretch and everything popped and creaked back into place. "We were keeping an eye on you and your head," she replied once she was done getting everything lined back up properly. "You said you thought you had a concussion, so we woke you up every hour to check on you."

"Huh," he said. "I thought I dreamed that. Well, you checking on me anyway. I knew when Dean woke me up. Jerk."

"Want some coffee?" Kenny asked. "I sure do."

"That'd be great. Thanks," he said.

When Kenny walked into the kitchen, Dean had a full breakfast almost done; bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits, the works. "Who is all this for?" she asked.

"Us," he said. "I'll fix Sam a plate." And proceeded to load up one with everything.

"How does Sam like his coffee?" she asked. "I forgot to ask him."

"Blonde and sweet," Dean replied. "Just like his women." He left with a little grin.

Kenny fixed Sam's coffee. If he liked his women blonde and sweet, why was he interested in her? She could be sweet, but she most definitely wasn't blonde and never would be.


	7. Chapter 7

After a few days Sam could move around well enough with a pair of crutches they found in a store room that Dean felt okay leaving to check on Garth. He hadn't been able to get in touch with him since that first phone call and wanted to make sure he was okay.

"I'll be back in a few days," he said heading for the door. "Sammy, stay off your head." Laughing again he headed out the door.

Sam was not amused at that comment, but asked Kenny, "What can I do to help you? My heads much better and I'm getting a little stir crazy. I'm used to doing things. This forced idleness is getting to me."

"Okay, come on in the project room." She led the way and Sam hobbled behind. He hated crutches. Kenny handed his a book on witchcraft and spell casting. "Would you mind making a list of the symbols in this book chapter by chapter and the purpose for them?" Kenny asked. "I'm making the symbols and drawings searchable, too, but I kind of need an idea of the key words to program."

"Sure. That's really useful," he said. "A lot of the time we see something – symbol, sigil, whatever – and know we've seen it before but can't remember where or what it's for. That's going to be great."

They worked in companionable silence for several hours when Kenny got up and started to move around the room. Sam watched for a while, between listing the images in the book and the purposes for them, and took notice of the way Kenny worked. He'd never helped her in the project room before. She was back and forth between the table and the walls pinning things up and was completely engrossed in what she was doing. As she moved, Sam became more and more aware of her. It had been growing over the past couple of weeks; between running some mornings, talking after supper, and just living in close quarters. They talked a lot and Sam was well aware Kenny was an attractive woman. He wasn't sure some of the debates they'd had was talking or not, but he knew she was smart. That was something that was immensely attractive to him.

Dean could chat up a girl in a bar for a little while and eventually head back to her place for the night. Sam could too, and had, but he preferred the connection that getting to know someone – at least a little – gave him. He liked to explore how a girl's mind worked as well as her body. That took longer than a few hours in a bar before the main event.

Sam was contemplating that revelation because he'd never really put it into concrete thought before as he watched Kenny work. If he was honest, the walls of the room looked a little like the motel room walls when he and Dean were hunting something and trying to figure out what it was. There were notes, pages from books, pictures, diagrams, even string connecting things, all over the walls. Kenny was evidently a visual person. This was the bones of how the information would be organized. It fascinated him; she fascinated him. As he watched her, he could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she thought about what should be where and how that would link up to other things. Watching her work was like watching a computer process information; there was a little light that would go on in her eyes when she made a connection between two pieces of information, or a symbol and what it was used for. Kenny was smart, innovative, and pretty; that made her damn sexy to Sam. Not to mention the mini-skirts, tights, and combat boots she favored. He could see a long length of leg even if she was short. And her phone was always in her back pocket giving him something to focus on when she walked. He tried not to, but couldn't help himself. Sam had forgotten about the book and images while he watched Kenny move. Girls that were smart, confident, and didn't hide it or try to disguise it were always a weakness for him. Smart girls were just plain hot in his book.

Kenny moved around the room and had seemingly forgotten he was there. As he continued to watch he took notice of Kenny's hands and how they moved on the keyboard and what they looked like carrying and pinning things to the walls. Her hands were small, like her, but very graceful over the keyboard. When she picked up something, Sam kept thinking about her hand wrapping around him. Kenny paused and put her hand to her mouth to think some more on something. Sam watched her mouth with interest and thought about her lips and her hands moving over him. Shit, he shouldn't be thinking that. She was doing him – them – a favor with all this information and he shouldn't distract her. But now the thought had taken root and that was all he could think about.

"I need something to drink," he said. He cleared his throat and felt like he was wearing a tie but wasn't. "Do you want anything?" His voice was a little lower than normal because of the direction of his thoughts, but Kenny didn't seem to notice.

"Hmm? Oh, no thanks, I'm good." He could tell from the expression on her face and in her eyes that she was a million miles into the information and not really checked into the conversation.

"I'll be back in a minute." He wasn't really sure she even heard him and was glad she didn't look his way. He couldn't hide what was going on down south on crutches. Time to get a handle on the direction of his thoughts and get those reigned in. Trouble in paradise was all they needed.

Sam had gotten a drink and a snack and had given himself a stern talking to while in the kitchen. He was taking his time going back to the project room because Kenny was a serious distraction to him and he didn't want to be a distraction to Kenny. This project needed to get done because it would help not only him and Dean, but all hunters in the long run, by having a repository of hunting information to access when needed. Music started playing from somewhere and it was the classic rock/metal stuff that Dean listened to. Dean wasn't due back for another day or three. Curious, Sam made his was slowly – stupid crutches – toward the music. What was she doing now? Kenny fascinated him like a woman hadn't in a long time.

He looked in the door to the project room and saw Kenny moving around the room in time to the music. He watched for a minute before he hobbled slowly into the room. He propped the crutches by the door and watched the phone in the back pocket of Kenny's short denim skirt sway as she moved. Sam's mouth went dry. Hell, he should go back to his room or the kitchen or anywhere but here, but couldn't move even if his life depended on it. The song changed and so did Kenny's movements. Sam didn't think she was even aware of what she was doing she was so engrossed in the project, but he was aware. He put a little too much weight on his bum ankle and that brought him out of the fog a little and his intake of breath made Kenny aware he was there.

"Oh sorry, I like to work with music sometimes," she said. "I can cut it off if you can't concentrate with it on." She made to move past him to the speaker on the table when Sam's arm shot out, almost of its own volition, and pulled her to him.

Kenny was a little startled because she didn't think Sam looked like the reach-out-and-grab-kind of guy – not that she minded. When she stayed where she was with no protest Sam lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. Wow, Kenny thought. Both brothers had learned to kiss somewhere along the line. She gave herself up to it returned Sam's kiss. Then his hands started to move and Kenny forgot to breathe. He was so big compared to her and his hands could cover a lot of ground in a very short time. She felt his hands cup her backside including the phone in her pocket. Sam groaned and deepened the kiss.

When he lifted his head from her lips the expression on his face was fierce and laced with desire. "I want to pick you up and lay you out on your work table and do all sorts of things to you," he said. "But I don't think my ankle will stand for it." He looked severely pissed at that. His hands were still on her backside holding her tightly to him.

Decision time, thought Kenny, it's now or never. What's it going to be?

Kenny reached past Sam and handed him the crutches then walked to the project room door. She turned and crooked her finger at him then proceeded out the door. She had a wicked little grin on her face. Sam thought he would come right there on the spot. No one had ever crooked a finger at him and he followed. Well, there was a first time for everything. He made his way slowly out into the hallway and saw Kenny turning the corner at the end. He followed along behind on those damnable crutches.


	8. Chapter 8

Kenny went to Sam's room and waited for him there. She could still hear the music playing but it was indistinct, just back ground noise now. Then she heard the thump of the crutches and Sam appeared in the doorway.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Because if we start something I'm not sure I'm going to be able to stop. I'm not going to want to stop."

"I'm sure," Kenny replied. It was the first thing she'd said since she walked from the project room. "And I'm not going to want you to stop." She reached out and confiscated the crutches and propped them by a chair. She went to him and put his arm around her shoulder – not that she was much help. "Let's get you sitting down so you're more on my level and can't hurt that ankle. We don't want that to cramp your style." She was smiling when she said it. Sam smiled too.

Once he was seated on the bed, she stood between his knees. He was about as tall as she was now. "I've got a lot of time to make up for," she said and lowered her mouth to his and tangled her hands in his hair. She loved his long hair and used it to pull him closer to her.

Almost without Kenny realizing it her shirt was gone and so was his. He was a beautiful specimen of a man. The tattoo on his chest was fascinating to her and she kissed it right in the center. He drew in a sharp breath. Kenny kissed up his neck from the tattoo to right below his ear. Sam groaned. That was a sound she liked. What else could she do to make him moan like that? She bit a little on his neck and he made the noise again while holding her tighter. Oh this was going to be fun. Sam was so responsive.

Kenny kissed back down his neck to the spot right at the center of his throat where she could feel his pulse thundering. She licked and sucked lightly; Sam shuddered and groaned again. Sam was holding her loosely and she knew he was holding back for her sake, but that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted him as desperate for her as she was for him. She trailed her hand down his chest between them when his hand caught hers.

"Don't do that," he said. His eyes were heavy lidded and shining with desire. "I'm not sure I could stand it."

"Why don't we test that theory," Kenny said and nipped his bottom lip. She moved her hand to cup him through his jeans. She put her tongue in his mouth when he opened it to protest some more while at the same time she squeezed just a little. Kenny hadn't wanted him to hold back and she more than got her wish. In a single motion Sam had her on her back and he was over her with his knee between hers. The rest of their clothes were gone in short order. He pulled her leg up around his waist and kissed her until she couldn't breathe all the while running his hands all over her body. He shifted a little and reached in the night stand drawer. Kenny realized what he was doing and was glad someone had thought about protection because she sure hadn't.

"Kenny, look at me," Sam said. She hadn't realized she had closed her eyes. "Kenny…" Sam said again.

She looked him right in the eye. "Sam, if you offer to stop I'm not going to be responsible for my actions. If I knew how to flip you on your back, I would, and take what I want from you."

The expression on Sam's face was priceless. His eyes rolled back in his head and a growl came from his throat as he sheathed himself to the hilt in her. Then he began to move. Kenny's head was spinning. It had definitely been too long and sex had never been like this. She jumped as she felt a bite on her shoulder, but then she felt Sam's tongue lave where he'd bitten and a groan escaped her and him. Heaven help her didn't know if she would survive. She decided she didn't really care…what a way to go.

"Did I hurt you?" Sam asked later while he nuzzled and kissed her neck.

"Mmmm…hurts so good," Kenny replied still breathing hard. "Did you hurt your ankle?" Sam just smiled; he was breathing rather hard himself, and settled back into the pillows. "I didn't notice, but I'm fine."

"You know," Kenny began, "I've never had sex like that in my life. It was fantastic! People always assumed I was delicate and fragile because of my looks and size. I guess they underestimated me." Sam settled more comfortably on the pillows and just listened. "I think you know something about being underestimated, don't you?" Kenny looked at Sam's face lying on the pillow next to her.

"Yeah, a little bit," Sam answered. He rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. "It is kind of satisfying when you shock someone with what you can actually accomplish, isn't' it?" He lifted his head and looked her in the eye.

"Yes. Yes, it is," she said and sighed. "I skipped lunch and I'm hungry. How about you?"

"I could eat."

"Let's get dressed and head to the kitchen, then. I'll whip us up something to eat." She got up and gathered her clothes completely unashamed by her nakedness. "I'll prop your crutches on the night stand," she said after getting dressed. She kissed him again, her hands tangled in his hair. "Take your time getting to the kitchen. You're still healing." And she walked out the door.

"Wow," was all Sam said.

In the kitchen, Kenny was making sandwiches when Sam made his way in. His ankle was feeling better. In fact, he felt fantastic after that little therapy session. But maybe he had pushed Kenny a little too much.

"Sam, I can hear you thinking," Kenny said with her back still turned to him.

"Really. Then what am I thinking?"

Kenny sat a sandwich in front of him as he took a seat at the table and propped the crutches beside him. "You're thinking you pushed too much, made me do something I didn't want to do. Stop it. You didn't."

Kenny sat down with her sandwich. "We are both consenting adults and nothing happened that we didn't know was heading that way for weeks now. I've gotten to know you a little and I really do like you. You're smart, and funny, and kind whether you like to admit it or not, or you would have jumped my bones a long time ago." She smiled at him. He wouldn't meet her eyes. "I will admit I've never been in this situation before. But after the last three years I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth." He looked up at this remark. "I decided while ya'll were gone spraining your ankle that I'm going to live life like there is no tomorrow. Enjoy what I do to the fullest and I'll worry about the fallout when it happens. I don't want strings attached to us and I don't think you do, either. We both have a lot on our plates to be dealing with relationship crap right now. Am I right?"

"Huh…" was all the response she got.

"Huh?" Kenny asked. "That's it? I thought I get more of…something."

"You know, Dean said there were women that didn't want strings attached to a physical relationship, but I didn't believe him. In my experience, the only ones that had no strings were paid."

Kenny stiffened like she'd been slapped and Sam held up a hand and went on to explain.

"I don't mean you and that came out all wrong," he said. "I guess I was looking for more than was really there sometimes or thinking something was there that wasn't other times," he explained. Kenny relaxed when she understood what he was talking about. "The only time I found physical relationships with no strings was when I was soulless. The kind of women I hooked up with then knew the score. Well, some of them did," he continued. He looked uncomfortable talking about it. "Others, I just said what needed to be said to get what I wanted. I used them. Didn't bother me then, but it bothers me now."

"Well, you're not being used if you know you're being used," Kenny said. She put her hand on his, "Sam, I hadn't slept with anyone for eight years before you. I know I'm not ready for a relationship, but I do really like sex. Specifically, I like sex with you. You know what you're doing, I'll say that much," she smiled and was pleased to see him blush a little. "Oh my, I made you blush. You're full of firsts for me Sam. Okay, I propose a deal…we use each other. If either one of us gets uncomfortable with the arrangement we can stop with no hard feelings. Agreed?"

Kenny finished her sandwich and looked at Sam while she chewed. He still hadn't taken a bite of his. "You're okay with this?" he asked.

"I wouldn't have proposed the idea if I wasn't."

"If you're sure, then I agree."

"Good. Now eat your sandwich. You're going to need your strength." She walked out of the room, but the smile she gave him was so full of promise he ate the sandwich in three bites and followed. He couldn't wait to find out what else she had in store for him and he had a few things of his own he wanted to do to her. And they still had a day or two before Dean got back and they had to be more discreet.

Dean was back two days later. Garth had managed to get his phone smashed and it took a couple of days to get back home to get another one, so no emergency on that front. But something was brewing. Garth had told Dean about signs he'd noticed indicating demon activity. The brothers went into research mode once supper was cleaned up on the day Dean returned. Kenny helped where she could and had enough information in the database to make a search of that worthwhile as well. That was going along better than she could have hoped for at this point in the project. She went to bed satisfied with the way it functioned and the amount of work she had already accomplished.

The next afternoon, Sam and Dean were still pouring over old volumes when Kenny came into the room.

"Guys, I need to make a grocery run. We're almost out of everything."

Dean's head shot up. "I'll take her, Sam. You keep going." And he shot out of the chair to get ready to go.

Sam snorted. "Light weight."

Dean shot him a look and said to Kenny, "Come on." As Dean rushed her out the door he said, "Make it quick before he changes his mind."

In the car, Dean said, "Thank you for getting me out of there. I was starting to go stir crazy."

"You're welcome. And you were looking a little antsy." They shared a smile and Dean cut the music on. "I have a couple of places to stop if you don't mind."

"No problem."

A couple of hours later Dean was ready to shoot himself. "Are you done yet?" They were loading the last of the grocery bags in the car.

"Yep, I'm done. Can I drive?"

The expression on his face was priceless. "No."

"Come on. Why not?"

"Because nobody but me drives Baby."

"Sam drives her."

"Only when he has to."

"Please? I'll make it worth your while." She waggled her eyebrows at him.

Dean looked at her very seriously. "You don't have to say that."

"Why not? When you and Sam left before he sprained his ankle you gave me some things to think about. I've thought about them. And I've decided I'm going to enjoy life, experience what I can, and worry about the fall out later. And there is always fall out in my experience. I'm not sticking my head in the sand."

"I'm glad you had time to think on things," Dean said. "And I'm glad you came to some decisions you like. You still aren't driving Baby."

"We'll see," Kenny said with a smile.

Dean ignored that comment, cranked the car, and drove out of the lot.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Sam and Dean pulled out the next day to investigate the omens Garth had mentioned. Sam's ankle was pretty much healed and he was anxious to get back to work. They were pretty sure they were dealing with regular, run-of-the-mill demon things. A routine job Dean had said. Sam snorted at that. Was there anything routine about hunting demons? Kenny didn't think so, but whatever. Normal was relative.

"I'm tired of being stuck inside," Kenny said to the bunker. "I'm going to sit outside. It was beautiful outside when I helped Sam and Dean load up." The bunker was in the middle of nowhere so who would see? Some of the things she was working on right now had to be done by hand with pen and paper. A perfect match.

Kenny bustled around assembling the things she was taking outside – chair, tea, books, paper and pens – by the door. Then she wrestled them all out the door and up on the little hill just over the door. I was a great place to sit and see everywhere. There were even a few trees for shade. It was early yet but Kenny could already feel the heat building. It was going to be scorching later.

Kenny settled in until hunger and heat made her rethink sitting outside. But the amount of work she got done was the clincher. She was too busy just enjoying being outside to concentrate on what she was doing and hadn't accomplished much at all. Besides for the last thirty minutes or so she could hear thunder.

"Time to move all this back inside then," Kenny said. "I hate it when I talk to myself and answer myself. Granny always said it was a sign you were crazy. I think I'm just a fan of scintillating conversation and find very few to have that with." Smiling she started lugging things back inside.

Out of curiosity, Kenny checked the weather every once in a while to see if the storm ever came to fruition. Sometimes the sun was shining and sometimes it was raining, but the heat always seemed to be there. At about 5:30 that evening, Kenny was cleaning up work for the day and checked outside once again. There was a huge thunderclap just before she got to the door and rain was pouring outside when she looked out. But the sky and clouds looked really strange – nothing like she'd seen before. Then a sound rose over the thunder and the rain. It was also like nothing she'd ever heard before. She dashed out in the rain to peek over the hill and the sight that met her took her breath away. A huge funnel cloud was heading straight for the copse of trees the bunker was hidden under. And it was getting closer by the second.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit," Kenny said and dashed back inside. She made sure the door was locked and even propped a chair under it, just in case. Then she could hear the roar, things hitting the door, and the floor was shaking. An alarm sounded somewhere deep in the bunker. The door seemed to be holding so she went in search of the alarm. The map table was lit up had a small red blinking light on it, but the sound was further in the structure. Wonder what that meant?

"Maybe that's the location of this bunker and it's letting others know something is wrong," Kenny said. "But what others are there to let know and who will possibly show up? And I'm talking to myself again. Great! I need to call the guys."

She didn't get an answer but that wasn't unusual and left a message. Meanwhile, she went back to bunker door and removed the chair. She couldn't hear anything through the door and decided to take a peek outside. Through the crack in the door all she could see was leaves and branches. She shut the door again. A horrible thought struck her and a little panic ran up her spine. Was she trapped? Underground? Buried alive? "Stop it," Kenny said out loud. "I'm not stuck. Sam and Dean will get me out." But her voice didn't have a lot of conviction in it even to her own ears.

She called Sam and Dean again and left another message. Damn! What were they doing? Silly question – saving people, hunting things – it was what they did.

Twenty minutes and some dry clothes later her phone rang. Finally! She ran toward it. "Hello?"

"Kenny, it's Sam," said the voice on the phone. "What's up? You sounded a little freaked out. You okay?"

Relief swamped her, "Yeah, I'm okay, but the bunker got hit by a tornado about an hour ago. The map table lit up and has a blinking red light on it and an alarm sounded deeper in the structure. I can't get out of the door because there are trees in front of it." All of this came out in one breath.

"Shit, Kenny. We're heading your way," Sam said. She could hear Dean asking what was going on in the background. "Dean, the bunker got hit by a tornado and Kenny is trapped inside." Then she heard tires squealing and the throaty growl of the Impala's engine. "We'll be there as fast as we can. Sit tight and try not to worry."

"Kenny," Dean called. "Kenny where are you?" It was the next morning and she hadn't heard them arrive.

"I'm here," Kenny said walking out of a hallway. "I was back there." She pointed the way she had just come. "There's another hallway that branches off and that's where the main frame is and where the alarm was coming from." She hugged Dean tight. "I'm so glad you're here." Sam came in through the front door. "Hey," he said. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Kenny said and hugged him, too. "I'm just really glad you're here. That was way freaky." She looked at both of them. "What's the damage outside?"

"Nothing too serious," Dean said. "Just a tree. We pulled it out of the way with Baby. Nothing else seems to be hurt."

"That's good," Kenny said. "Damn. I'm glad you're here. Sorry to interrupt your trip. Let me show you the map table." She led them to it and the still blinking light. "I wonder what that means."

"It's okay," Dean said. "It'll keep another day or so. Sammy, do you know what that means?"

"I have no clue," Sam said. "But I found some manuals the other day on some of this stuff. I'm going to see what I can figure out." He headed off to his room.

"You sure you're okay?" Dean asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little freaked out still."

"Come help me unload the car," Dean said, heading toward the door.

"Sure."

Having company again and doing something as mundane as being able to go outside and unload a car helped to calm Kenny's nerves a little. She was still jittery but it wasn't that bad. Dean sat with her for a while and they talked about nothing much while he plied her with a little whiskey.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Dean Winchester?" Kenny asked. She smiled at him.

"Not really," he said with a grin. "Medicinal purposes – just to help you calm down. Never experienced a tornado, huh?"

"Nope," she replied. "And I hope to never experience one again. When I looked over that hill and saw that thing heading right for me it took years off my life. It was close enough I could hear it and I know from TV that's too close."

"Yep," he said. "One of the hazards of living out here. You adjust eventually."

"I'm not sure I want to be here that long."

Dean just smiled.

Kenny tried to work, Sam was looking through the manuals, and Dean did a little more research for their aborted trip during the rest of the day. When she decided to turn in Dean brought her a generous glass of whiskey.

"Still trying to get me drunk, Dean Winchester?" Kenny teased.

"Maybe a little – drink up," he replied, smiling.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Kenny tried. She really did. She lay in bed and closed her eyes and tried to relax everything starting with her toes and working up and she thought about building brick walls and she tried counting sheep. None of it did any good, so she got up and put her robe on and wandered into the main part of the bunker. There were some comfortable looking chairs there. Maybe reading would make her sleepy. Finding something that would catch her interest was the next task. She ran her fingers over the spines of the leather clad books and finally selected one. Most of them were reference works, but a few were novels. Isaac Asimov was always good reading if a little heavy on the science side for her tastes. She liked things a little more magical; besides wizards were cool. Finding a comfortable chair and settling in, she began to read.

When Dean heard Kenny's door open and footsteps going down the hall, he gave her a few minutes. She might be going for a midnight snack. He followed her and watched her choose a book from the shelves and settle into a chair and begin to read.

Thinking back over the last day or so beginning with Kenny's phone call all of his protective instincts had been firing at full blast. Dean knew she was safe in the bunker with the door locked, but still hated leaving her there by herself. He really wasn't used to having to worry about someone, except for Sammy. And Sammy was usually with him.

He came closer and she still hadn't noticed him. "Still couldn't sleep?" he asked. She jumped in her chair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. You've had enough of that lately."

"No, I still couldn't sleep. Sorry. Usually I'm not so jumpy."

"It's okay. You're allowed to be jumpy." He sat down in the chair across from her. What did he say now? He wasn't very good at this comforting thing. He just watched her and that probably made her more uncomfortable.

Kenny put book down on the table and got out of her chair. Now that the opportunity had presented itself she wasn't going to pass it up. She walked over to Dean and sat on his lap. His arms automatically came around her. "I'd like to sit here for a little while," she said.

"Okay."

Dean sat back in the chair further and Kenny shifted until she was comfortable and laid her head on Dean's shoulder. With a sigh she closed her eyes. Dean's hands had settled at her hips and the weight of them felt good there. Kenny took a deep breath and smelled the essence of Dean – leather, the whiskey they had drank earlier, and something she couldn't put her finger on yet. Well, didn't that make a girl's thoughts go in bad directions. Good directions too. She moved her head and kissed Dean's neck and felt him stiffen under her.

"Uh, Kenny? What are you doing?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," Kenny replied and kissed a little further up his neck.

"That was definitely not nothing," Dean said. She could feel the rumble of his voice in his chest and his hands tighten on her hips.

"Well, it's something," she said. "Only if you want it to be something. Otherwise it's nothing."

"You had one hell of a scare," he replied. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Dean moved her from his lap and stood up. Then he reached for Kenny and kissed her gently. She was sure he was going to turn her down. It just seemed like that kind of kiss – the thank-you-but-no kind. Then she felt arms under her knees and she was lifted against his chest and he moved down the hall to his room.

Dean stood her by his bed then closed and locked the door. When he stood before her again he gently put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her again. His hands made their way into her hair and held her head at just the right angle for his gentle assault.

"You still sure?" he asked.

"Yes," was her reply. He kissed her again and with their mouths still joined, he pulled at the ties of her robe and she let it fall to the floor.

Dean broke the kiss and looked at her. She had on a tank top and shorts and Dean thought it was the sexiest lingerie he had ever seen. Nothing pretentious about Kenny. He liked that about her; more than a little. That should probably bother him, but it didn't. He pulled her flush against him and kissed her again, his hands molding her to him. She moaned and it was the sweetest sound he'd heard in a while. It had been way too long since he could take his time and do this right. Probably not since Lisa, but he wasn't going to think about that right now.

Kenny's hands weren't idle while Dean was kissing the living daylights out of her. They were under his t-shirt and she could feel the warmth of his skin and the muscles moving as he held her to him. She pulled his shirt over his head. Her tank top went next.

Dean stopped to stare at Kenny as he undressed her. Kenny was starting to feel uncomfortable under his stare but Dean breathed a soft, "Beautiful," before lowering his head to her breasts. Kenny didn't bother thinking after that.

Kenny felt Dean pick her up again and he laid her out on his bed. He took her shorts off before getting rid of his own and climbed on the bed beside her. He leaned over and kissed her again and it was long, slow, and delicious. And his hands were doing wicked things to her body. Kenny felt her reserve melting away.

Dean was playing her body like a fine instrument and it was responding in spades. He brought her to the brink several times and then backed off to let her come down a little.

Finally, Kenny couldn't stand it anymore. She grabbed his head and pulled it to her own and kissed him and nibbled at his lips until he groaned out loud. "Quit teasing," she said.

The knowing smile she got from him took her breath away. "Just seeing how long you'd take it before you went crazy."

He reached into the night stand for protection, then thoroughly kissed her again while he positioned her under him. He took her with one thrust and they both groaned. Then talking wasn't necessary. Their moans, sighs, and shouts of satisfaction were all they needed to hear.

"You okay?" Dean asked as he pulled the sheets over them a little later.

"Fantastic," Kenny replied.

"Good," he said as he snuggled her up against him and got comfortable on the pillows. They were both asleep in minutes.

Sam woke with the pages to the user's manual he'd been reading stuck to his face – not exactly riveting reading. He groaned as he worked the kink out of his neck and stretched to get the rest of the kinks worked out. He passed Kenny's room on the way to the kitchen and coffee but her bed was empty. Maybe she had already made coffee. Dean's door was closed and when he tried the knob found it locked. He smiled. Well, he could put two and two together and come up with a pair. Dean might be a while. Sam fixed coffee and ate breakfast then decided to go for a run. His ankle was healed enough by now, he thought, but he'd make it a short run anyway. He'd think on the information he'd managed to get through last night. Running always helped him think.


	11. Chapter 11

Dean was having the most amazing dream. It involved wandering hands and warm lips. "Mmmmm…" he moaned and came fully awake. That was no dream. He couldn't see what Kenny was doing because the room was dark, but he could sure feel it. He thrust his hands in Kenny's hair and could feel her smile on his skin. Then his eyes crossed because she took him deep into her mouth. Another groan escaped.

Kenny was having the time of her life. She had a beautiful male body at her fingertips and she knew he would let her play to her heart's content. She was leisurely exploring every inch of Dean's chest when she heard him moan. She knew his reflexes were lightning fast and didn't want to startle him. She smiled when he threaded his hands in her hair. Now that she had his full attention she could do what she'd had in mind for a while. She kissed his growing manhood and took him deep in her throat. The most wonderful sound came from him. She knew she could drive him just as wild as he had her the night before, so she tried everything she'd ever done before and some she'd only read about. She could hear him whispering but wasn't sure what he was saying but she knew the signs his body was giving.

Dean's eyes were rolling back in his head. God, that felt so good. If Kenny didn't stop he was going to come right down her throat. He wanted to be inside her when he did that. "Kenny, mmmm… Kenny, you have to stop. Now. I'm going to come…mmmm."

Kenny let him go with a small pop, "No," was all she said. And sucked him deep again.

Dean's head was spinning so much he wasn't sure where he was and the wicked things she was doing with her tongue, teeth, and mouth caused his brain to shut down. He threw his head back against the pillow with a loud groan and let the sensations take over.

Kenny liked it when he surrendered to her mouth. She knew he was close and just how to push him over the edge. She sucked him in deep and didn't let up on the pressure until she heard him shout out. She kept on until every last drop was gone. Then she kissed him gently on the still throbbing head and sat up. She could swear his eyes were crossed but it was a little too dark to tell for sure. Dean was breathing like he'd just run five miles flat out. "Good morning," Kenny said, grinning widely.

Dean tried to say something, but nothing would come out. Good God, that was the best orgasm of his life. What had she done to him? He thought he'd just about done it all, but that was in another galaxy altogether. He swallowed a couple of times and finally got out, "Morning."

"I'm going to get some coffee. What me to bring you a cup?" Kenny asked.

Dean still couldn't quite catch his breath, but managed to croak out, "Yeah, thanks." The bright lights from the hallway had him squeezing his eyes shut and turning his head. Damn! He knew Sam must have heard him, but he couldn't muster up the energy to care. He was pretty sure Sam and Kenny had already slept together, but he couldn't muster up the energy to care about that, either. They were willing; she was willing; it was all good.

He had managed to sit up by the time Kenny was back with coffee. Just what he needed, caffeine. That would get him going. "Damn, woman, what did you do to me?"

"Just stuff I've been thinking about for a while now," Kenny replied. "Things I had already tried and some things I had only read in books. Seems like you liked them well enough." She was smiling like the cat that ate the canary.

"I don't think I'm seeing straight yet," Dean replied with a smile. "What time is it?"

"Just after 10," Kenny replied. "Why? Got a hot date?"

"After what you just did? Absolutely not," Dean replied. "I haven't slept much more than three or four hours at a time in years. And last night, with you, I slept for seven hours straight. No wait, eight hours. No wonder I feel so good. Other than the mind blowing experience you just gave me." He was grinning now too.

"Your mind wasn't the only thing I was blowing."

There was a knock on the door. "Dean? Kenny? We need to talk."

"Now what?" Kenny and Dean said together. "We'll meet you in the kitchen, Sammy," Dean said.

"I got a call from Garth about an hour ago," Sam said a few minutes later. "I wanted to let you sleep as much as I could, but, we've got a case and we need to go. Other hunters have tried and haven't been able to figure this one out. Garth said he'd handle the demon signs we were chasing when the tornado hit."

Dean was pouring his second cup of coffee. "Where is it and what's going on?" he asked. He looked at Kenny sitting at the table. She seemed interested but not that upset that he would be leaving in matter of hours. Maybe this situation would work out. It would be nice to have someone to come home to, though Sammy would never admit it.

"Ya'll discuss," Kenny said. "I'll make us something to eat. Then we can figure out how I can help from here while you're on the road." She started moving around the kitchen while Sam and Dean settled at the table. She listened while they talked about what had already been tried, what Sam had figured out so far, and what to do next. She put plates of food in front of each of them then sat with her own. After last night she was starving.

"Okay, so you think you're dealing with a vengeful spirit in New Mexico, but you're not sure if it's Native American, Spanish, or some other lore that was brought in, am I following?" Kenny asked. Sam and Dean exchanged a look. "That about sums it up," Sam replied.

"Okay, ya'll get packed and hit the road," Kenny said. "I'll make you some snacks for the trip, then start running searches on the lore from the Native Americans that settled that area. They have some interesting beliefs on some things. I'll move on to the Spanish lore; again interesting ideas, then finally the imported stuff. I should have something for you by the time you reach a motel room. Just give a call when you get there."

Sam and Dean looked stunned. "Wow, we might have information before we even check it out? And not have to go in blind?" Sam asked. "I think I love that computer system of yours."

"You should," Kenny said with a smile. "You'll be the one maintaining it."

"Huh," was all the reply she got as Sam got up to get ready to go.

"You don't mind me – us – up and running off at the drop of a hat? Even after last night?"

"Dean, I know this in your calling. It more than what you do – it's who you are. You aren't going to let someone get hurt if you can help it."

He didn't reply just pulled her into his arms and kissed the living daylights out of her. Then turned and headed to get packed as well.

Kenny had just shut the door after the boys and gotten to the bottom of the stairs when the outside door opened up again and Sam came back in.

"Did you forget something?" Kenny asked turning around.

"Yeah, this…" and Sam pushed her against the wall and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. "I couldn't leave without a little something to think about until I got back," he said. There was promise in his eyes of wicked things behind closed doors. "I heard Dean this morning." Kenny blushed. "I want to make you scream so Dean can hear…and have to wonder all day just what was happening." Then he turned and loped back up the stairs and out the door.

Well now, didn't that just make a girl weak in the knees?


	12. Chapter 12

Sam texted and called verifying information and theories for two days after they left. Then abruptly it stopped. Kenny tried not to worry, but she couldn't help it. Finally, a week after they left Kenny was sitting in a comfortable chair taking a break and reading a little when the door opened and slammed shut. Then booted feet stomped down the hall to the sleeping quarters where another door slammed. Kenny was grateful her boys, as she called them to herself, were back but wondered what happened. The door opened again, more quietly this time, and a minute later Sam appeared with both their duffle bags over his shoulders. Kenny could tell things weren't right, just from Dean's entrance. Sam's face confirmed it. He shuffled a little as he stood there. Kenny finally got up and took the bags from him.

"What happened?" she asked.

"It's a long story," he said. "He's been like that since yesterday."

"You quit texting and calling," Kenny said. "I figured you were majorly in the hunt and didn't bother you, but I was worried. I know I shouldn't but I couldn't help it."

"We were," he said. "It turned out it wasn't a spirit, or anything we normally hunt after all." Sam sighed hugely. "It was just a crazy guy. We set a trap and had the cops there at the right time and tried to have everything under control, but a kid got hurt anyway."

"Oh, no," gasped Kenny, tears welling in her eyes.

"He'll be okay, thankfully," Sam said. "But Dean blames himself. He can't stand it when someone gets hurt; most of the time it's not anything we can control. But he takes it personally every time. He will never admit it but I think he's thinking of Ben whenever something like this happens."

"That could be," Kenny said. "You've never asked him?"

Sam gave a sad smile. "He said he'd break my nose if I ever talked about Lisa or Ben again. I really don't want a broken nose."

"Yeah, probably not," Kenny said. "Okay, look. Go get a shower, I'll make you something to eat and then you can collapse. You look about ready to."

"Yeah. Thanks." He reached for the duffle bags.

"I'll take care of these," Kenny said, indicating the duffle bags. Sam smiled his thanks and headed toward his room.

Kenny made coffee the next morning. She was thinking on what to make for breakfast because her stomach was growling when Dean walked in the kitchen. He looked like hell. Kenny walked up to him and wrapped him in a big hug. He didn't do anything at first but she just stood there hugging him. Finally arms came around her and his face burrowed into her neck. How long they stood there like that Kenny didn't know. But evidently Dean needed it. Finally, he moved away and poured some coffee and sat at the table.

"You hungry?" Kenny asked.

It took him a minute to focus and finally realize she'd asked him a question. "Whatever you were going to make. I'm not sure I'm even hungry."

"You need to eat anyway," she said. He just nodded.

Kenny thought of eggshells more than once that day and the next. She considered every movement before she made it and tried to give Sam and Dean both the room they needed to get their heads around what had happened. Finally, on the third day she could stand it no longer. In the work room, she turned on her music and got to work. Eventually, Sam wandered in and helped for a little while. They worked together well and talked quietly. Dean came in a while later and loitered around a bit, proclaimed paperwork and research gave him the hives and headed out to work on the Impala.

"At least he's out of his room," Kenny said.

"Yeah, that's always a good sign," Sam agreed.

Later that evening, Kenny was sitting in her room listening to music and relaxing. She had the lights down low and a couple of candles burning. It was late and Sam had already turned in. Dean appeared in her door way.

"That's one of my favorite songs," he said.

"Yeah, that's a good song," Kenny replied. She stood up and walked over to him. "The rest of this playlist is pretty good too." She put her arms around him and began to sway with the music.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm trying to dance with you," she replied.

"I'm not much of a dancer," he said. "And I'm not really in the mood to dance."

"It's not hard. You just hold on and sway. You can lose yourself in the music and the other person if you try. It's almost as good as sex."

She got a disbelieving snort on that one.

"You've never danced as foreplay, huh?"

"Never really thought about it like that," he said and began to sway with her.

"No music in the bars you hang out in?"

"There's music, but no one's dancing. They're too busy drinking."

"Well, just listen and sway," Kenny replied.

She smiled, put her head on his shoulder and let her hands wander around his back and shoulders and just breathed his scent in – man, leather, and gunpowder. That was the other thing she smelled. She'd been around it enough now to recognize it. She liked it.

She wouldn't even have gotten in trouble in high school for dancing this way, she thought. His hands still hadn't moved from her waist. He rested his chin on the top of her head. She kind of wished she could see his face, but wasn't going to move and break the spell. A slower song came on with a more suggestive beat and Kenny let her hands roam a little lower eventually resting on his luscious backside. His hands had finally started to move, but nothing more than running up and down her back. She heard him sigh and felt his shoulders relax a little.

With the next song, his hands began to roam a little wider and brush her breasts in the front and down around her butt in the back. She did move her head then, and kissed his throat. His breathing was starting to deepen and quicken. She put her hands on his hips and said, "Move like this now…" and began a different rhythm with the music. He found the rhythm quickly and took the lead back from her. Her thigh was between his legs and she could feel the effect the dancing was having on him. He pulled her closer to him while his hands were still wandering all over her back. He never said a word. Kenny chanced a look at his face. His eyes were closed and his lips were slightly parted and the stress lines around his eyes and mouth had lessened. She continued to let her hands wander where they wanted.

Eventually, Dean lifted his head and tilted her chin up and kissed her softly on the lips. Now he was catching on, Kenny thought. His hand came up and held the back of her head while he deepened the kiss never losing the rhythm of their dance. Oh this was so what she was wanting. Let him get lost in the music and the feelings. She broke the kiss and beautiful green eyes focused on her.

"Let's keep dancing for a while yet," she said. She could still see the deep lines of worry between his eyes.

He looked at her for a little longer then put his forehead on hers, closed his eyes, and kept on swaying and letting his hands roam. Kenny kissed his throat and up his neck to just below his ear. She nipped lightly on the lobe and felt him jerk. She smiled and let her hands wander from his shoulders and back to his butt. She pulled him closer and could feel his erection through his jeans. She let her hand wander in that direction.

"Mmmm…I like that," she said. She leaned back a little to look him in the eye. "You know what you need?"

"I can think of a thing or two."

She could feel him smile against her neck as he starred to kiss up to her ear. He was a quick learner and was getting bolder with his hands. One was lingering on her breast while she was sure he had left a mark on her neck. She had left one on his neck too so it was fair.

"What do I need?" Dean asked, still swaying.

"Pardon me for being crude, but you need someone to fuck your brains out and then you need to sleep for a day. But I know the sleeping part will never happen."

A slow grin blossomed over his face. "You willing to make that happen?" His voice had gotten gravely from arousal.

"The sleeping part? Sure. I can be really quiet." Kenny knew that Dean knew that wasn't what she was talking about.

The playlist came to an end and neither of them noticed. They kept swaying and stroking until Dean backed Kenny up against the desk in her room and lifted her onto it. She wrapped her legs around his waist and hung on while he kissed her and his hands found their way under her shirt and her skirt. She pushed against his shoulder and his hands stilled. "Let's put more music on," she said and slid off the desk. "You pick."

Dean took her phone and scrolled through her playlists and chose one. "Since we are getting lost in the music tonight I wanted to try something," he said. "Before you fuck my brains out." He was grinning when he said it. He took her in his arms again and started swaying with the music and Kenny fell into rhythm with him. She eventually felt the bed hit the back of her knees and noticed her shirt was gone. When had that happened? It seemed his hands and lips were everywhere. Of course, his shirt was gone too. Would miracles never cease? And her hands were definitely not still, playing over his chest, back, and down to his buttocks.

They kept dancing until Dean picked Kenny up and laid her on the bed. He crawled up beside her and continued to stroke and kiss. He was very good at making out. Foghat's Slow Ride came on the playlist. "Now for what I wanted to try," he said.

He rose up over her and after protecting them both set a rhythm in time with the music. It was maddening slow to Kenny. "How do you like my version of dancing?" he asked. There was a teasing glint in his eye and just a little hitch in his voice. She groaned. Good Lord he was experimenting on her. "Mmm…it's good but just a little faster would be better," she said. "Eventually," was the reply.

Again there was a little hitch in his voice and then a soft groan. He never lost the rhythm with the song. He knew what he was doing was driving her insane, but it was driving him insane as well, as evidenced by that little hitch and the soft moans. He kept moving.

She could help the insanity along then. She put a little more motion into what she was doing and got a hiss of indrawn breath in response, but the rhythm still didn't change. After a few more infuriatingly slow thrusts she squeezed just a little with her inner muscles and all the air rushed out of Dean's lungs.

"So good…too good" he said. The song was picking up the pace and so was Dean. He let out another low moan, but still didn't falter in the rhythm with the song. Kenny stole a glance at him. He was beautiful – eyes closed in concentration, sweat beading on his brow, almost a little grimace around his mouth, and little lines on his forehead told the story of the effort drawing this out was costing him. But still he held the rhythm with the song even as it sped up a little more.

"Oh god, I hope you're with me," Dean said on a low groan that never quite stopped. "Don't worry about me," Kenny said. This was promising to be spectacular.

Kenny squeezed a few more times and Dean's eyes slammed shut tight. He gathered her close and buried his head in her neck on a long moan which became a shout as he came. Kenny wasn't far behind and added her shout to his. He was still twitching slightly as he slowly laid beside her so he wouldn't crush her and took care of the condom. Kenny knew she didn't have a bone left in her body and neither of them had the strength to move. "I think I like your version of dancing better than mine," Kenny said. The low chuckle he gave sent shivers down her spine again.

After another minute or so, she reached down and pulled the sheets over them. "Do you want to stay here?" Kenny asked. He didn't reply, just wrapped his arms around her and tucked her comfortably in beside him and fell asleep. "Good. I didn't want you to leave," Kenny said snuggling in and she was asleep in minutes, too.

Kenny's eyes sprang wide open. Something had woke her up, but she wasn't sure what. Just then a twitch and a sharp breath came from beside her. She laid a hand on Dean's chest and his heart was hammering away.

"Oh Dean…" Kenny whispered. "You break my heart."

She began to stroke his chest because she didn't want to wake him abruptly. She knew she'd wind up with hands around her throat at the very least if she did that. In his room he probably had several knives and guns to hand hidden around. Dean would be instantly sorry and that would heap more guilt and worry on him and she really didn't want that. She wanted to give him good dreams to replace the bad ones.

She scooted closer and laid her head on his chest. Then she kissed his neck all the while still slowly stroking his chest and stomach. His breathing was getting more even and not quite so jerky. She let her hand wander a little lower and he sucked in a deep breath. Ah, yes. The way to a man's heart…wasn't his through his stomach. It was a little further south. There was no way she was ready after that last little session they'd had. Could he be? Could she really make him dream something that good? Only one way to find out; and it was a fun way!

Oh who was she kidding? Kenny was way too tired to do all that. And Dean didn't really need that anyway. He needed to be held and told everything was going to be okay. His breathing was getting a little steadier when he jerked awake. She knew he was wide awake because his whole body was stiff as a board.

"It's okay," Kenny said. "It's just me. You were dreaming and it didn't look pleasant. I thought maybe I could help you ease into a better dream but you woke up."

Dean lay there trying to control his breathing and willing everything to relax. Kenny was right – it hadn't been a pleasant dream. As a matter of fact, it was hell. But he wasn't going to think about that.

"Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth," Kenny said in a quiet voice with a hint of command. Before he could register what she was saying he'd done as she'd asked. "Good… Again… And one more time… Good. Better?"

The panic had receded a little so it was better, but still damn freaky she knew what was going on.

"How do you know to do that?" Dean finally asked. The images were fading a little and he could focus better.

"I learned to recognize panic attacks from friends that had PTSD when I was in the military. It applies to just about anything – pain, panic, whatever. It also helps to get the pus, so to speak, out of your brain. I know talking about things isn't your style but have you ever written in a journal? Pen therapy has helped me a great deal and doesn't cost more than a couple of bucks for a note book and a pen."

Dean just grunted. "Sam's the journal writer, not me."

"I'm not talking about setting things down for posterity or whatever. I'm talking about getting the visions out of your head and onto paper so you can take an objective look at them. Put actual words to the nebulous images running around in your head. State them in black and white or blue and white – whatever. Once you put words to them solutions often present themselves when you least expect it."

"Maybe that's why Sam writes so much," Dean said. "Since we're Men of Letters he keeps a journal like they did. But I also know he keeps a note book with him just about all the time. It's in the bottom of his duffel. He doesn't even know I know it's there."

"Probably. I can't stand talking to another person about some things. I just can't put it into words looking at someone. But I can address it to whomever or whatever and whole pages come rolling out. You should try it. I've got a spare journal I'll get in the morning. You feel like an idiot the first few entries but it gets easier as you do it. You can start way back when and work up to now or start now and work backwards. Or just start with whatever is looming, like the dream you just had. Doesn't matter where just get the shit out of you head. It will make you hesitate when you least need to." Kenny gave a jaw cracking yawn and settled more comfortably against Dean.

"Right now, snuggle up. I won't let the boogey man get you until morning," she said with a grin and sighed.

Dean did settle more comfortably and let out a deep breath. A journal was something to think about – in the morning. He was so tired and Kenny felt so good curled against him. He lay quietly and listened as Kenny's breathing evened out into sleep. He soon followed her and rested easy for the rest of the night.


	13. Chapter 13

Several days later, Sam and Dean were heading out again for another job. They'd be gone for a couple of weeks this time. They were going to stop by and say hi to Jodie, check on Bobby's old place, and take care of some other business, as well as working on a couple of cases in the area. Kenny thought it was a good time to invite Charlie over for some girl talk and general girly things. There had been way too much testosterone in the bunker lately.

"Hey, girlfriend," said Kenny a little while after Sam and Dean had left. "Are you at a stopping place where you can come down for a while? The boys are gone and I'd like to visit with you."

"Perfect timing," Charlie replied. "I can be there tomorrow. I just finished my latest job."

Charlie had plenty of time to think on the drive to the bunker. She was doing a little freelance computer work these days. What direction should she go in now? More of the same or something different? Try to go Corporate again or stay independent? She'd talk it over with Kenny. It was nice to have a friend that didn't want anything from you, she reflected, someone who didn't need you to hack anything (because they could do it themselves) or didn't want to get close to the Queen of Moondor (because they didn't really even know what that was). It was nice. Kenny really was Charlie's friend. She was just there. To laugh with, talk to, go shopping with, get drunk and try on each other's clothes, and watch TV with. Charlie was going to enjoy her time with Kenny and then she'd choose a direction. Once Dean and Sam got back maybe she'd run some ideas past all three of them.

The bunker door burst open and Charlie yelled, "Honey, I'm home!" with a big grin on her face. All the people in Charlie's building thought they were a couple anyway, so Kenny and Charlie had sort of gone with it. They had some great running jokes between them. And loved to shock the old busy body in the apartment down the hall. Of course they played it up like crazy and died laughing at the looks on her face. It was really funny when Charlie brought someone home. Busy body really didn't know what to think then.

Only silence greeted Charlie. "Okay, she probably has her ear buds in." Charlie closed the door and went down the stairs and around the corner. "Kenny?" Maybe she was in her work room and couldn't hear. Charlie went down the entry stairs and started for the tables she, Sam, and Dean always sat at to do research when she saw Kenny sprawled on the floor in the hallway.

"Kenny!" Charlie ran to her. "Kenny! Are you alright?" Charlie sank to her knees next to Kenny on the floor. "Kenny! Say something." She gingerly put her fingers to Kenny's throat to feel for a pulse. It was there – strong and steady. Charlie let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Kenny? Hon? Hello? Are you in there?" Kenny twitched a little and Charlie felt a little better. At least there was some movement. Then Kenny's eyes popped open. They were a little out of focus. "Hey! What are you doing down here?"

"Getting a snack," was the slurred reply.

Good. Her brain was functioning somewhat. "I don't think you are getting a snack on the floor. Or at least I don't think you should eat it if you do."

"Okay," was the faint reply.

"Stay right here and don't move," Charlie said. She went into the kitchen and dug into Dean's whiskey stash. "This ought to perk her up," she said grabbing a really old bottle and a glass. "Nice and strong."

She went back to Kenny who hadn't moved a muscle. "Here. Let's get you sitting up. Think you can do that?"

"Sure."

Charlie helped Kenny sit up and she swayed where she sat. Not good. Charlie poured a generous bit of whiskey into the glass and gave it to Kenny. "Here's something to go with your snack. Drink up."

Kenny obediently took the glass and drained it. Then started wheezing and coughing with her eyes watering.

"Ugh. Dean's best whiskey. He's gonna kill you." And coughed some more.

"There you are!" Charlie said. She watched some of the color come back in to Kenny's face. "What happened? How'd you end up on the floor? Are you okay?"

"Whew! One question at a time. My head's killing me and you are way too loud," Kenny mumbled with her hands over her ears.

"Okay, you scared me. Now I know what I'm dealing with a little." Charlie got up off the floor. "Think you can stand up?"

Kenny nodded again.

"Damn. I feel weird," Kenny said and swayed a little. "Remember right after I first met you and I'd get these really bad headaches and feel really weird for a few hours?"

"I remember," Charlie said. "You scared me to death a few times with that."

"Well, that's what this feels like," Kenny replied. "It's been almost 18 months since I had one of those. I thought they'd gone away just as mysteriously as they had shown up."

"Let's grab a table for a bit," Charlie said as she saw Kenny sway alarmingly again.

"Yeah, good idea."

They sat and talked for a while and Kenny got some better color in her face. Eventually Kenny said, "I'm hungry. Did you eat lunch? I think that was where I was going when I passed out."

"I could eat."

Kenny felt much better after eating so the girls moved to Kenny's room to watch a few shows they enjoyed and just generally catch up. Charlie kept a close eye on her just in case.

Over the next few days Charlie and Kenny laughed until they cried, braided Charlie's hair, watched movies, and went shopping. Neither mentioned Kenny's issue until a week later the two were in Kenny's work room putting the finishing touches on one more section of the database when Kenny grabbed her head. "Ow! Ugh!"

Charlie quickly helped her set down at the table. "Another one?" Kenny laid her head on the table and just tried to breathe. "Yeah, but it seems to be passing pretty quickly. Just let me sit here a minute."

"I'll get you some water," Charlie said and hurried from the room. While she was in the kitchen she made a quick call to Sam and Dean.

"Hey guys! How are you?" Charlie asked.

"We're good," Sam replied. He had her on speaker phone.

"What's up, Charlie? You okay?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm here at the bunker with Kenny. She invited me for a visit after you guys pulled out. Um, I'm calling because I'm kind of worried about her. I found her passed out on the floor when I got here."

"What?!" Sam and Dean said together.

"Yeah, she used to get these headaches right after I first met her and she'd sort of zone out but she never passed out. And she just had another episode while we were working but she said her head just hurt really bad. I'm kinda freaked a little."

"Give us a day and we'll be right there," Dean said.

"Take care of whatever you were working on," Charlie said. "I don't think there's anything you can do, but I just wanted you to know. If I need to take her to the hospital I will. I know where it is. I just feel better telling someone."

"Keep track of what Kenny does when she has these episodes," Sam said. "What she looks like, can she talk, which side of her head hurts, how long it lasts, what she ate, all that stuff. I had a friend at Stanford that was diagnosed with migraines and she had to keep track of all that to help figure out what caused them."

"That's a good idea," Charlie said. She felt better now that she had something to focus on. "I need to go check on her. I'll call you if anything changes."

"Okay," Sam said.

Over the next couple of days, Charlie and Kenny talked, laughed, baked, and cooked some more. Honestly, Kenny baked and cooked and Charlie watched. Kenny thought that Charlie watched her a little too closely. Her head had hurt a couple of times since Charlie found her, but not really bad and Charlie had the habit of asking all sorts of silly questions when that happened. The boys were due back in a couple of days and Charlie was going to hang out and say hi before she left. They planned a big dinner for the day the boys got back. Lord knows they didn't eat good food while they were on the road. Who knew if they even ate at all sometimes?

The day before the boys were due back Kenny was working and Charlie was doing something somewhere in the bunker. Kenny wasn't sure what or where. She and Charlie had that kind of friendship; they didn't have to be together 24/7 or even in the same room if they were together. That was an immensely satisfying thing. She stood up to grab a file on the other side of the table when a phrase in the journal she was working on caught her eye – alternate theory. She sat down to read and felt her stomach drop.

 _Subject stated this was not the correct time or place where subject originally hailed from. Indicated they just "popped here" suddenly from Connecticut. Research is being conducted in Kansas. Possible alternate theory, but I doubt it. No one has proven that actually exists. Subject complains of severe headaches and blacked out for a period. Related to alternate theory? No reliable working theories yet. Early investigations into alternate theory indicated if the person survived the crossing they might not survive the crossing back. Second subject that "popped here" did not survive._

As she finished reading, a sharp pain went through her head and she had to sit down or fall down. She put her head down on the table to just breathe for a minute. What the hell? She hadn't had these in over a year and a half. Not since just after she was popped here. That thought made her stop everything including breathing. Had it happened to her? Was that - alternate theory - why she was here? Was she getting ready to pop back to her own line of events? Oh good sweet Lord she hoped not. Despite everything, Kenny had made a life she liked here. She could come and go and see and be seen with whomever she pleased. And the people she had in her life were so accepting of her. That was something she wasn't used to.

Charlie found her sitting and staring at the wall a half hour later.

"Hey," Charlie said.

"Oh, hey," Kenny replied.

"Am I interrupting you thinking hard on something? I thought you were just about done," Charlie asked.

"No, I was just wool-gathering. What's up?"

"I'm going to make a grocery run. Want to come?"

"Umm…okay. I don't particularly want to sit here anymore. Let's go."


	14. Chapter 14

The next day Kenny got at text from Sam saying he and Dean would be pulling in around five that afternoon to please have the door unlocked. They always let her know when they would be arriving usually so she wouldn't be scared when the door opened up. She and Charlie got busy with preparations and had dinner just about ready when Sam and Dean walked through the door. Both of them stopped at the top of the stairs and inhaled deeply.

"Sammy, I'm really glad to be home. What's that smell?"

"I don't know, but smells really good."

"Hey!" Charlie said, coming to greet them with a smile.

"Hey, yourself!" Dean said, giving her a hug. "We didn't know you'd still be here. How are you? How's Kenny?"

"Hey, Charlie," Sam said.

"No Change," Charlie replied. "She hasn't had any more of those headaches and passed out. But she said her head has hurt. She's been really distracted the last couple of days, though. I don't know what that means."

"What's smelling so good?" Sam asked.

"Supper. Are you hungry?" she replied.

"Starved," they said in unison.

"Well, let's eat then."

They enjoyed a leisurely meal and sat talking and relaxing that evening. Sam and Dean both kept a close eye on Kenny, but she bullied both of them to turn in early because they were yawning their heads off. She and Charlie sat a little while longer talking and finally turned in themselves.

The next morning Kenny was up early and working with a cup of coffee at her elbow when Sam poked his head in the door of the work room.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Great," Kenny replied. "In fact, I'm almost done. I'm up to the handwritten journals now. Not much in those but I'm going through them anyway. It's usually just day-to-day stuff, but you never know what might be useful."

"That's terrific," Sam replied. "Find anything interesting in those? I'm kind of keeping a journal, too. Just the day-to-day stuff Dean and I run into. I keep thinking it's nothing worth writing down, but it could prove useful at some point, so I do it."

"Dean mentioned you were keeping a journal," Kenny said. "That's a great idea. Keeps the tradition going if nothing else."

"That's what I was thinking." He smiled at her. "Charlie mentioned you had some headaches while we were gone. You okay?"

"I guess," she replied. "I had these when I first got here and then they went away. But now they're back again. I don't know what to make of it."

"Well, let me know if you need anything."

"I will."

Charlie left the next day. Kenny thought Charlie had something on her mind that she hadn't talked about, but wasn't going to pry. She would come out with it when she was ready. They hugged and said their goodbyes and Kenny made her way back inside while Sam and Dean said their goodbyes. She had just gotten to the bottom of the stairs when everything went black.

Kenny moved into consciousness abruptly. She didn't know where she was or how she got there. Everything – light, sights, sounds – slammed into her consciousness all at once. The fight or flight response was strong – but which one?

Sam spoke quietly from somewhere off to her right.

"Hey, Kenny," he said. A large hand enveloped one of hers. "It's okay. You're safe and in your room in the bunker. How are you feeling?"

That answered a few questions. The bunker and Sam. That was good. That was where she wanted to be. "I don't know," she answered honestly. She felt a little disconnected from her body still.

"We found you at the bottom of the stairs," he said. "Do you remember coming back inside?"

"Vaguely," she answered. "What happened?"

"We're pretty sure you didn't fall down the stairs because you don't have any bruises for that. We found you in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, so we're not really sure what happened."

"My head hurts," Kenny said, putting a hand to her forehead.

"Yeah. You've got a pretty good goose egg on your head," he said. "You must have hit it when you fell. I hate to ask this right now, but have you found anything in the research that would apply to your situation at all? We've kind of been ignoring your circumstances all this time and maybe we shouldn't have."

Kenny sighed. "I did find one entry in an old journal," Kenny said hesitantly. "But I didn't really like what it implied."

"What did it say?" Sam asked. He was still speaking gently and rubbing her hand.

"The writer was putting down thoughts on a person they had talked to that said they had just "popped" here from where they originally came from. And that the other person that had come with them did not survive the trip," Kenny said. She closed her eyes and sighed while a tear leaked out under her lids.

Sam stared at her for a minute and then wiped his hand down his face. She could hear the rasp of his beard on his palm. "Shit. What else did it say?"

"I don't remember who this person was, but he called it "alternate theory"," Kenny told him. "I don't know if I'm going to live through this, Sam. I'm scared out of my mind. What if one of these times I pass out and I'm just dead?"

"I don't know, Kenny," Sam said. "We've never encountered this before just like you haven't. But we will do our best to help you figure this out."

Kenny couldn't take it anymore. She shot off the bed and into Sam's arms and clung to him like lichen to a tree. It took Sam a moment before his arms came around her and held her tightly. She felt the dam burst and literally cried on his shoulder. She couldn't stop and didn't want to. So much had been bottled up for so long. She hadn't really cried since this whole crazy thing had started. She hadn't really had the opportunity to take it all in; she was just surviving. Now everything came crashing down – waking up here, searching for and finding Charlie and making an ally and friend, and even finding Sam and Dean and a safe place to be. But now she did have the opportunity so she cried – great wracking, noisy sobs; the ugly cry kind. Sam just held Kenny and let her cry and cry.

"Hey! Everything all right?" Dean asked softly, poking his head in the door. Sam met his eyes and just shook his head. All the while Kenny was still sobbing noisily. "You need anything?" Dean asked Sam. Sam just shook his head again and kept holding Kenny, letting her cry and rubbing her back. "Let me know if you do," Dean said and left.

Kenny eventually cried herself out and Sam tucked her back into her bed. She had fallen asleep in his arms. He found Dean sitting at the research tables with his head in his hands. He looked up as Sam approached.

"How is she?" he asked.

Sam sat down heavily across from him. "Exhausted, at the moment," he replied. He rubbed his face with his hands.

"You make me nervous when you do that," Dean said.

Sam looked up. "Do what?"

"Rub your face with your hands," Dean replied. "It means you don't know what's going on and I don't like that. You always have an idea of what's going on."

"Well, I don't," he said, sounding as tired as Kenny.

"And that makes me very nervous. Did Kenny find anything in all this worthless paper?" Dean asked.

"Yes, and that's the problem. Let's go to her work room and take a look."

The journal in question was buried under papers, but Sam found it. Kenny had helpfully flagged the page with the entry on it. He flipped it open and read the brief entry and handed the book to Dean.

"You know we are the worst sorts of fools," he said.

Dean just looked at him and lifted an inquiring eyebrow.

"I know why I wanted her here and didn't ask too many questions about how she got here. You willing to admit the same?"

Dean looked anywhere but at Sam. "Yeah, I like having her around more than I want to find out the hows and whys." He looked at Sam finally. "It's nice to have someone around besides us. And clean clothes and regular meals are just the bonus."

Sam gave him a disgusted look.

"That's not what I meant," Dean said. "It's nice to know someone cares enough to cook and clean for us. Not to mention put this database together for us. We've been taking care of each other for so long. I feel like we can share the load a little, you know, with her here. There's something – someone – to come home to."

Sam smiled a little. "Yeah, I know. But now she needs us." Then he shook his head. "No, not us – hunters. She needs us as hunters – the focus we bring to a case to figure this out. We owe her that much."

"Okay. Let's get crackin', then. Where do we start?"


	15. Chapter 15

Several hours later, after making not a lot of progress but maybe finding a little something, Sam put down the book he'd just finished looking through and stood up. Dean was staring at a wall.

"I thought you wanted to help," Sam said. He knew he was needling his brother but couldn't help it. He was frustrated. "Staring at a wall isn't helping."

"I'm thinking," Dean said.

Sam just looked at him and raised his eyebrows.

"You know, Cas has zapped us places before…maybe he could shed a little light on this," Dean said. "He's knows more about hopping around in time than anyone we know or we can find in a book. Even in here," he said waving his arm indicating all the Men of Letters information.

"Do you think he can help?"

"Never hurts to ask," Dean said. "I'll give him a call." Dean got up, pulling his phone from his pocket as he did.

"Hey, Cas. How are you?" Sam heard him say.

"I'm going to check on Kenny," Sam said. Dean waved a hand to show he'd heard.

"Listen, I've got a question for you…" Dean was saying as Sam walked down the hall to Kenny's room.

Sam knocked quietly on Kenny's door and stuck his head in. Kenny was sitting in the middle of the bed with her hair sticking up everywhere looking sleep rumpled and forlorn.

"Hey," she said with none of her usual enthusiasm.

"Hey," Sam responded coming to sit on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Physically – fine. Mentally – I'll get back to you. Sorry about getting your shirt all wet and snotty, by the way." Kenny smiled just a little because Sam had removed the plaid shirt and was just in a t-shirt. "I guess I needed that."

"No problem," he replied. "And I would guess that you did need that. Been a while since you let go that hard, I take it?"

"Yeah. That's not something I ever do. I might cry but never like that. Again, sorry about your shirt."

Sam smiled a little. "Again, no problem. Glad to be of help. Why don't you take a nice hot shower, get yourself back together. We'll get something to eat and then we can talk about your situation. Dean and I have been looking while you were asleep and Dean even called Cas. So, between what you know and what we've found out and what Cas said, there might be something there. We just have to look at all of it. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds good," Kenny said, getting up and gathering her things to head to the showers.

Forty five minutes later Kenny, Sam, and Dean were sitting around the table in the war room. There were papers everywhere and a few beer bottles, too. Kenny could see that they had been working hard while she slept. She really appreciated the effort, but she had a bad feeling there really wasn't anything anyone could do. As the saying goes – it is what it is.

"Okay," Sam began. "Cas shed a little light on the whole process of zapping someone to another time or place. He said when an angel sends someone somewhere there is a force field or shield that envelopes the person for a limited time." He looked at Dean for a second. Dean nodded. "That's why no one is ever left someplace else. They have to come back or that shield dissipates. You didn't have that protection because something went wrong and you were never supposed to be here in the first place."

"I guess that makes sense," Kenny said. "So I guess that's a why answered. But can this be fixed? Can I stay here? Will I die if I do? Do I have to go back to stay alive?" Kenny threw up her hands and got up to pace. "I want to stay here." She knew she was bordering on whining but felt she was allowed under the circumstances.

"Don't get ahead of me," Sam said with a smile. "Dean and I found a protection spell that, we think, will help alleviate some of your symptoms. I think I can work it and Cas is gathering the ingredients that I don't have here."

"Spell? Witchcraft? Ya'll do that, too? What can't ya'll do?" She was smiling when she said it. Maybe she wouldn't die in the next day or so. Hopefully.

"Yes, I can work spells," Sam said. "I wouldn't call myself a witch, but I've figured out a lot over the years, and this is probably the most complicated spell I've tried. And I don't have any of the flair a trained witch would, but I get by." By what else these two could do, Kenny had no doubt that Sam could work almost any spell he set his mind to. 'Get by, right. He's a frickin' warlock', Kenny thought with a smile.

"I hate witches," Dean mumbled. "Always spewing all over the place." He shuddered a little and looked at Sam. "What? You know I don't like them."

Sam just shook his head. "I don't spew all over the place." Focusing back on Kenny, he said, "Anyway, we are hoping to make this one a little stronger than normal by using both my blood and Dean's blood. It shouldn't tax either of us too much and will up the strength of the spell considerably." He waved his hand in the air. "…legacies and all that. Once the spell is in place, we can talk about options. Does that sound like a plan to you?"

"So all I have to do is wear something, drink something, what?"

"Wear a hex bag," Sam replied. "I'll make it as small as possible so you can wear it under your shirt. It should touch your skin at all times."

"What's in this thing? Besides blood. Which sounds totally gross."

"A few herbs, some special ingredients Cas is gathering, our blood, your blood, and a lock of your hair. Some fancy words, chanting over an open flame, and wrap it up in a little bag and you are good to go."

"At this point I don't think I have much of a choice," Kenny said. "But what do you mean 'won't tax you and Dean too much'? How does this work?"

Sam looked at Dean. "Well, the spell gets it's sustainability from us. Our blood is what will make the spell last over a long period of time."

"So it's draining energy from both of you? I don't think I like that idea."

"That's why I'm using both of us. We can share protecting you. And I'm going to apologize to you for not considering your circumstances closer when we found out about what happened to you and how you got here. We should have looked into this way sooner than now. Maybe this could have been prevented from progressing to this point."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too," Dean spoke up. "Honestly, we liked having you around and ignored the big red flag of how you came to be here. We should have done this way sooner."

"Well, thank you both, but I didn't think about it myself," Kenny said. "I was just trying to stay alive."

"That's what we want, too – to keep you alive," Sam said.

"Okay. When are we going to do this? I'm assuming everything has to be in one place and added over an open flame or something."

"Day after tomorrow," Sam replied. "It has to be done at the new moon to be most effective at protecting the wearer. And we don't have all the ingredients here. We'll need to gather those. Cas is working on the more unusual ones."

Kenny sighed. "Sounds like a plan." She was feeling hopeful for the first time since this whole mess started.


End file.
